The US President along with Colombia's president have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions between the two countries following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Talking to journalists on Sunday, Trump threatened comparable military action towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who likes making the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened significantly following Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised following a landmark accord.
The President's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain the president, whom a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed part of his youth belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before winning president.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have denounced the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
The US cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, the first lady and a number of key allies.
Concurrently as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
