Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs drug factories and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats and Accusations
Talking to the press over the weekend, the American leader threatened similar use of force towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man who likes making narcotics and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the business.
A Strained Partnership
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that the national leader's security detail was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the threats of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa following he urged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various associates.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
