President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions bilaterally following American military units attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Rising Rhetoric and Accusations
Talking to the press on Sunday, the US president threatened analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the country is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual who enjoys creating cocaine and distributing it to America."
While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the fight combating drug cartels and received wide political approval from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a large part of the country loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing a new constitution over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump, yet figures from across Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa after he urged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, it placed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and several key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
