President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume of their exchange, increasing tensions bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Rhetoric and Claims
Talking to the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at comparable use of force against Colombia, asserting Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Strained Partnership
This nation was historically a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have worsened markedly after Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a large part of the country holds in high esteem, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Increased Security and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning Colombian politics have condemned the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he urged American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Concurrently as the US increased its troop levels in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
