Donald Trump and Colombia's president have escalated the tone of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions coupled with Allegations
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Trump suggested analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the country is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man who likes making cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Strained Partnership
The country for decades served as a key ally of the United States in the struggle against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have deteriorated markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Response
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro's personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures from across the ideological divide have rejected the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. In October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and various close collaborators.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the region and targeting suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
