The US President and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume of their exchange, heightening strains in their relations following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions and Claims
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the US president hinted at analogous armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who likes making the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated markedly since Trump came to office.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised following a landmark accord.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
When asked whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"He comments without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture me, whom a large part of the country holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he took part in drafting a new constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a prominent senator. He served as mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the threats of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Sanctions
Washington cancelled his travel authorization after he urged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
