Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening tensions bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, the American leader threatened comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming the country is “very sick too” and led by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly connected to the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country for decades served as a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly after Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised after a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
He passed part of his youth belonging in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Broad Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization following he urged US troops to refuse any illegal orders. Months later, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his wife and a number of key allies.
Concurrently as the US increased its forces near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
