President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening strains in their relations following American military units struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Threats and Allegations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader suggested similar use of force against Colombia, asserting the country faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
This nation for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and received wide political approval in Washington, however, the relationship have soured significantly after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
When asked if a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest me, which a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I pledged not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders spanning Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Political and Economic Strains
Washington revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he encouraged US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. In October, it placed economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
