The US President and Colombia's president have intensified the volume of their exchange, heightening tensions bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates drug factories and production sites and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats and Accusations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, Trump threatened comparable use of force towards the South American nation, asserting Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who likes making the drug and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally involved in the trade.
A Strained Partnership
This nation for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated markedly after Trump was elected.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Strong Response
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent part of his youth belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I swore not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the threats of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
Washington revoked the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
