President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, Trump hinted at comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to America."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
This nation was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have worsened dramatically after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by criminal organizations including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest me, whom many of the country admires and supports, they will release the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Statesman
Petro spent part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in creating the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I swore not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Increased Security along with Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the threats of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa after he encouraged US troops to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, it placed financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces in the region and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
