President Trump and Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations after US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Addressing the press on Sunday, the American leader hinted at analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual who likes making the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the trade.
A Strained Alliance
Colombia has long been a close partner of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have soured markedly following Trump was elected.
The nation's narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Response
Upon being questioned if military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Widespread Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices from across the ideological divide have condemned the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Strains
American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and several key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
