President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume of their exchange, heightening tensions bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president threatened similar armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the nation faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual who likes making cocaine and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation was historically a close partner of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have soured dramatically since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded after a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest the president, whom a large part of the country loves and respects, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," he admonished.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa after he called on US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
