Donald Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Escalating Threats and Allegations
Talking to the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at analogous armed intervention against Colombia, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way involved in the business.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia has long been a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured significantly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
When asked whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected the accusations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, whom a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed that he never participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in writing the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold a weapon again ... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew the president's entry visa after he urged American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. In October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
