President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Threats and Claims
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous use of force towards the South American nation, asserting the country is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation was historically a close partner of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have worsened significantly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by criminal organizations including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded subsequent to a landmark accord.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
In response to a query if a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he posted online.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's security detail was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, but voices from across Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa after he called on American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various associates.
Concurrently as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
