President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening strains bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates narcotics facilities and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric and Allegations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader suggested similar use of force against Colombia, stating the country is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly connected to the business.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a narco," he stated.
"He comments without information. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed some years as a young man belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
The US revoked Petro’s visa after he urged US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. In October, it placed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
