The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, Trump threatened similar use of force against Colombia, asserting the country faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating narcotics and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally connected to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have soured dramatically after Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. If they capture the president, which many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow to never again hold a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Broad Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s protection team had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have condemned the threats of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
The US withdrew his travel authorization after he called on US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
