Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing strains bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Tensions and Claims
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous military action towards the South American nation, claiming the country is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the business.
A Frayed Partnership
This nation has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated markedly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms subsequent to a landmark accord.
The President's Strong Response
In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he took part in drafting a new constitution in 1991 and later became 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 Colombia I shall resume arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the threats of an invasion on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
Washington revoked Petro’s visa following he encouraged American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
