The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions bilaterally after US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Growing Threats and Claims
Talking to the press over the weekend, the US president threatened analogous military action against Bogotá, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and governed by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and selling it to the US."
While Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia has long been a key ally of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and received bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have worsened significantly since Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded following a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
When asked whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And if they detain the president, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will release the fierce spirit of the people," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have rejected the possibility of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he called on US troops to disobey unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and several associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces in the region and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
