Donald Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, heightening strains bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the US president threatened comparable use of force against Bogotá, claiming the country is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and selling it to America."
While Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Strained Alliance
The country has long been a key ally of the United States in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated significantly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
In response to a query if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of the country holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Increased Security and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, however, leaders from across Colombian politics have rejected the threats of an invasion against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
Washington revoked his travel authorization after he called on American soldiers to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and various close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
