President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their war of words, heightening strains between the two countries after American military units struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Threats coupled with Allegations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader threatened comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation faces serious problems and led by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the business.
A Strained Alliance
The country for decades served as a key ally of the United States in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured dramatically since Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted online.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, which many of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning president.
"I swore to never again hold a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from across Colombian politics have condemned the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
The US revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he urged US troops to refuse unlawful commands. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and various associates.
Concurrently as the US increased its forces near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted operations against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
