Colombian President Warns 'I Will Resort to Weapons Again' if United States Intervenes Militarily.
The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume of their war of words, increasing tensions between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats and Claims
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at similar use of force towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation has long been a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have worsened significantly following Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I involved in narcotics," he declared.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain me, whom a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
The president dedicated part of his youth belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Sanctions
American authorities withdrew the president's entry visa after he encouraged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. In October, it placed asset freezes against the president, the first lady and various key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed strikes against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.