President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume of their war of words, heightening strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing the press over the weekend, the US president hinted at analogous military action against Colombia, stating the nation is “very sick too” and “run by an unwell individual who enjoys creating cocaine and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Frayed Partnership
This nation for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, however, the relationship have soured dramatically following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
When asked whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into numerous insurgents across the countryside. If they capture the president, which many of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed a period in his early life as a member in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I pledged not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
The US revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he called on American soldiers to refuse orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, the first lady and various close collaborators.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
