President Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the volume of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations after American military units struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Growing Threats coupled with Claims
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Trump threatened similar military action towards the South American nation, asserting Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and selling it to America."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, but relations have soured dramatically after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters laid down arms subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Response
In response to a query if military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And if they detain me, whom a significant portion of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s personal security 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 rejected the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged US troops to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several key allies.
Concurrently as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
