Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume of their exchange, increasing strains between the two countries following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Rising Tensions and Accusations
Talking to the press on Sunday, the US president threatened analogous use of force against Bogotá, claiming the nation faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who likes making cocaine and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the business.
A Strained Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated dramatically since Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
When asked whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of the population holds in high esteem, they will release the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but in defense of my country I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from across Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
The US cancelled his travel authorization following he encouraged US troops to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and various key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
