The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Rising Tensions and Accusations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader threatened comparable military action towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally connected to the business.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured markedly following Trump was elected.
Its narcotics trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded after a landmark accord.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing a new constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the threats of an invasion on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Pressure
The US revoked Petro’s visa after he called on US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
