The US President and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume of their exchange, heightening tensions bilaterally after US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats and Accusations
Addressing the press over the weekend, Trump hinted at analogous armed intervention against Colombia, stating the nation is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure who likes making the drug and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
Colombia has long been a key ally of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded subsequent to a landmark accord.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
When asked whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed part of his youth as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have condemned the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Strains
Washington revoked the president's entry visa following he encouraged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, the first lady and several close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
