The US President along with Colombia's president have turned up the tone of their exchange, heightening tensions bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions and Claims
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the US president hinted at comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating Colombia faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to America."
While Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the business.
A Strained Alliance
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have worsened significantly after Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Response
When asked whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from across Colombian politics have denounced the threats of an invasion against their nation.
Political and Economic Strains
Washington revoked the president's entry visa after he encouraged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. In October, it placed financial sanctions against the president, the first lady and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
