The US President and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening strains in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Threats and Claims
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the American leader hinted at analogous use of force towards the South American nation, asserting the nation faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the business.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation for decades served as a key ally of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and received wide political approval in Washington, but relations have worsened dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Response
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain me, whom a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the populace," he admonished.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of an invasion on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
The US revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Later, in October, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and various key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed operations against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
