The US President along with Colombia's president have turned up the volume of their war of words, increasing strains in their relations following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats and Claims
Talking to the press on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous military action against Bogotá, asserting Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual who likes making cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have soured dramatically following Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
When asked whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom many of the population loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's personal security was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from across the political spectrum have rejected the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
Washington withdrew his travel authorization after he urged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. In October, it placed asset freezes against the president, his wife and several key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted operations on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
