Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening strains bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the US president hinted at comparable use of force against Colombia, claiming the country faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation has long been a close partner of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
When asked whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And if they detain the president, whom many of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of an invasion against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
The US withdrew the president's entry visa following he encouraged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and various key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
