President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising strains between the two countries following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader hinted at similar military action against Bogotá, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia was historically a key ally of the United States in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
In response to a query whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the president, which many of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have rejected the threats of a US attack against their nation.
Political and Economic Strains
The US revoked his travel authorization after he called on US troops to refuse any illegal orders. Months later, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his wife and a number of associates.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
