Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the tone of their exchange, increasing strains bilaterally after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats and Allegations
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Trump threatened analogous use of force against Bogotá, claiming the nation faces serious problems and governed by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the US."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have soured markedly following Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised subsequent to a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of the population holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in creating the nation's constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump's stance, however, leaders from across the ideological divide have condemned the threats of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa following he urged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. Months later, it placed financial sanctions against the president, the first lady and several close collaborators.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
