Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, increasing tensions bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats coupled with Claims
Speaking to the press over the weekend, Trump hinted at analogous use of force against Colombia, stating the country is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have soured markedly after Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Response
In response to a query if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture the president, whom many of the country loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
He passed a period in his early life belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
Washington withdrew the president's entry visa after he called on US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, the first lady and a number of key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
