Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has narcotics facilities and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions coupled with Accusations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader threatened analogous use of force against Colombia, stating Colombia faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight combating drug cartels and received wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Response
When asked whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
The president dedicated part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.
"I made a vow not to touch a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, however, leaders spanning the political spectrum have condemned the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa following he urged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and several associates.
Simultaneously as the US increased its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
