The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their war of words, increasing tensions bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions and Allegations
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at analogous armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man who likes making narcotics and selling it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the struggle combating drug cartels and received bipartisan support in Washington, but relations have soured significantly since Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the president, whom a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed a period in his early life as a member with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a weapon again ... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security and Cross-Political Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that Petro's personal security had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
Washington revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and several associates.
At the same time the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
