President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions coupled with Accusations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, Trump suggested similar armed intervention against Colombia, stating Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, yet ties have soured markedly after Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Response
When asked if a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in drafting a new constitution over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
Washington revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he urged US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his wife and several key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
