President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume of their war of words, heightening strains between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats and Claims
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Trump threatened similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation has long been a staunch collaborator of the United States in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly following Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Response
When asked whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the president, which a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have denounced the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa following he urged US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and various associates.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
