The US President along with Colombia's president have turned up the tone of their exchange, increasing strains bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has narcotics facilities and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions coupled with Accusations
Talking to reporters on Sunday, the US president threatened analogous use of force against Colombia, claiming the country is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally connected to the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia was historically a close partner of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and received wide political approval from American politicians, yet ties have soured significantly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run 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 demobilised following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom many of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," he admonished.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s security detail was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from across the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Political and Economic Strains
The US withdrew his travel authorization subsequent to he urged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, the first lady and a number of key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
