The US President and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Escalating Tensions and Allegations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president threatened analogous armed intervention against Colombia, stating the nation faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and distributing it to America."
While Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the business.
A Frayed Partnership
The country for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from wide political approval in Washington, but relations have deteriorated significantly following Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Response
When asked whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life as a member in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa after he called on US troops to disobey unlawful commands. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and several key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
