President Trump along with Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their war of words, heightening tensions in their relations following American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions and Allegations
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the US president threatened similar military action towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way involved in the business.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, but relations have worsened dramatically since Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Firm Answer
When asked whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders from across the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and various close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
