Donald Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, increasing tensions between the two countries after American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Threats coupled with Claims
Talking to the press over the weekend, Trump threatened similar armed intervention against Colombia, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
The country has long been a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated markedly following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Answer
Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the hills. If they capture me, whom a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent some years as a young man participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I made a vow to abstain from using arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief reported that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have rejected the threats of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa after he called on American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his wife and a number of associates.
At the same time the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
