Donald Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the volume of their exchange, heightening strains in their relations following American military units attacked Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs drug factories and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Threats and Allegations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader hinted at analogous military action against Bogotá, asserting the nation is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally connected to the business.
A Strained Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of the US in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated dramatically since Trump was elected.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Answer
In response to a query whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a large part of the population admires and supports, they will release the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in drafting the nation's constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Increased Security and Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro's security detail was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
The US withdrew his travel authorization following he urged US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
