President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume of their war of words, increasing strains bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the US president hinted at similar use of force against Colombia, asserting the country is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally involved in the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
Colombia has long been a close partner of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened significantly after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised following a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he posted online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And should they arrest me, whom a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the powerful force of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed part of his youth as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in drafting a new constitution over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Rejection
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have condemned the threats of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
American authorities revoked his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes against the president, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
