Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the tone of their war of words, heightening strains between the two countries following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president threatened analogous use of force towards the South American nation, stating the country is “very sick too” and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Alliance
Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of the United States in the struggle against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, yet ties have worsened dramatically following Trump was elected.
The nation's illicit drug economy is predominantly run by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Response
When asked if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain me, which many of the population holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
The president dedicated some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the presidency.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from across Colombian politics have condemned the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
Washington cancelled his travel authorization after he urged US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. Later, in October, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several associates.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
