Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric of their exchange, increasing tensions between the two countries after US forces attacked Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates drug factories and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions coupled with Accusations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and governed by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia stands as the leading cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of the United States in the fight against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured dramatically following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
When asked if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, however, leaders from across Colombian politics have denounced the notion of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
The US revoked his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to refuse orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
