President Trump along with Colombia's president have turned up the tone of their exchange, increasing tensions bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Tensions coupled with Accusations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the American leader threatened similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure who likes making the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation was historically a key ally of the United States in the struggle combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have worsened dramatically since Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded following a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Rebuttal
In response to a query whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the country admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures from across Colombian politics have condemned the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Sanctions
American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa after he encouraged US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence in the region and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
