Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the tone of their war of words, further raising strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump suggested comparable use of force against Colombia, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who likes making the drug and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Answer
In response to a query if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of the population loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in drafting the nation's constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to never again hold a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices spanning the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa after he urged US troops to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes against vessels in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
