Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions between the two countries following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the US president threatened similar use of force towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight against narcotics trade and received wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly after Trump came to office.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Response
In response to a query whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected these allegations. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the hills. If they capture the nation's leader, which a large part of the population loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I will take up the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa after he called on US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
