Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening tensions in their relations after US forces attacked Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats and Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the American leader suggested analogous use of force against Colombia, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia remains 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 business.
A Frayed Partnership
The country for decades served as a key ally of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and received wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Answer
In response to a query if a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he stated.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And should they arrest me, whom a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I pledged not to touch a weapon again ... but for the homeland I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices from across the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US cancelled the president's entry visa after he called on American soldiers to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
