Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Threats and Allegations
Talking to the press over the weekend, the American leader suggested similar military action towards the South American nation, stating the nation faces serious problems and led by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation was historically a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and received wide political approval in Washington, but relations have deteriorated dramatically following Trump came to office.
The nation's narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Answer
When asked whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture me, whom a large part of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
The US cancelled the president's entry visa after he called on US troops to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
