Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening tensions bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Tensions and Accusations
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the American leader threatened similar use of force towards the South American nation, stating the country faces serious problems and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia has long been a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and received wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have soured dramatically since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a landmark accord.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," he admonished.
From Fighter to President
He passed a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in creating a new constitution in 1991 and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá before winning president.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security and Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have denounced the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
Washington revoked the president's entry visa following he urged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and a number of associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
