President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume of their exchange, increasing strains bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions and Claims
Addressing reporters over the weekend, the American leader threatened comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and “run by a problematic figure who likes making the drug and selling it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
The country was historically a close partner of the United States in the fight combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated markedly since Trump came to office.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Response
When asked whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom many of the population holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed part of his youth belonging of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief announced that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning Colombian politics have condemned the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
The US revoked the president's entry visa following he urged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. Months later, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and several associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence in the region and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
