The US President along with Colombia's president have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains between the two countries following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates narcotics facilities and production sites and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, Trump suggested comparable use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly connected to the business.
A Strained Partnership
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly following Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised following a historic peace agreement.
The President's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, however, leaders spanning the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged US troops to refuse unlawful commands. In October, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, the first lady and several key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
