Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and processing labs and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions and Claims
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at similar military action towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Frayed Partnership
This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I will take up the fight," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, however, leaders spanning the political spectrum have rejected the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Strains
American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa following he encouraged US troops to disobey unlawful commands. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, his wife and various associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
