Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the volume of their exchange, heightening strains in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Growing Threats coupled with Accusations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president threatened similar military action against Colombia, asserting the nation faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally connected to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia has long been a close partner of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and received wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised after a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Response
Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised decades ago, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments without information. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a gun ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s protection team had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have rejected the notion of an invasion against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa after he urged American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. In October, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and several key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
