The US President along with Colombia's president have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions in their relations after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at analogous use of force towards the South American nation, stating the country faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual who likes making cocaine and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the business.
A Frayed Relationship
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened significantly following Trump assumed the presidency.
Its illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised following a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Answer
In response to a query whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"He comments without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the capital city prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures from across the political spectrum have denounced the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
American authorities revoked his travel authorization following he encouraged US troops to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and several key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out strikes on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
