Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the tone of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Rising Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, Trump threatened comparable use of force against Bogotá, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
This nation for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of the country loves and respects, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed part of his youth as a member with the radical M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating a new constitution in the early 90s and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
Washington withdrew the president's entry visa following he encouraged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
