President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Tensions coupled with Allegations
Addressing reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the country faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to America."
While Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have soured significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
American authorities withdrew the president's entry visa after he urged US military personnel to refuse orders that violate law. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and various associates.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
