President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the US president suggested similar armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the country is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Strained Partnership
This nation for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated significantly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Answer
Upon being questioned if a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he stated.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he posted online.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest me, whom many of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
He passed some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have denounced the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
Washington revoked the president's entry visa subsequent to he called on US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
Simultaneously as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
