President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume of their war of words, increasing tensions bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Tensions and Accusations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the American leader suggested analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the country faces serious problems and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically following Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Answer
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention comparable 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 demobilised in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a narco," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, which many of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
The president dedicated some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the threats of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Pressure
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa following he called on American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and various key allies.
Concurrently as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
