President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, heightening strains bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Escalating Threats and Allegations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the US president hinted at analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country for decades served as a close partner of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically since Trump came to office.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Response
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning president.
"I made a vow to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities revoked his travel authorization following he urged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and various key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
