Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening strains in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Accusations
Addressing journalists over the weekend, the US president suggested comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Strained Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of the United States in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have worsened markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Answer
In response to a query whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he posted online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Increased Security and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged US troops to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and several close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
