Colombian President Gustavo Petro has strongly condemned any future US military actions. He announced that he was prepared to “take up arms a second time” in service of his country. This announcement comes on the heels of escalating tensions between the two countries. Former President Donald Trump railed against Petro’s leadership and, at one point, even threatened to invade Colombia.
Colombia has become notorious as the world’s largest producer and exporter of cocaine. Illegal armed groups deeply affect its narcotics economy. The Gulf Clan is clearly the most powerful of these groups. Equally important today are the National Liberation Army (ELN) and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) dissident factions. These organizations wield political and economic leverage that undermines the country’s persistent effort to combat drug trafficking. In the past, this challenge has needed further collaboration and a deepened bond with the United States.
Gustavo Petro’s election as president of Colombia in 2022 followed his time as mayor of Bogotá. He has a long history of civic activism in addition to his political life in Colombia. He was instrumental in drafting a new constitution, which adopted many of the city’s progressive values in 1991, and earned a reputation as a respected lawmaker. The relationship between Colombia and the US has soured since Trump assumed office. In September, the US cancelled Petro’s visa. Next, in October, came the financial sanctions against him, his wife, and a handful of close associates.
Petro had previously warned that the US intervention could have devastating results. He argued that purely military action would only deepen Colombia’s problems. He asserted, “If they [the US] bombs, the campesinos will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the president which a large part of the country loves and respects, [they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people].”
The only thing Trump’s comments on Colombia have done is served to stoke that fire. He referred to the country as “very sick too” and accused Petro of being a “sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.” The incendiary rhetoric has understandably scared many Colombians. Increasingly critics from across the political spectrum are calling for the US not to attack their nation.
Providing an update on the attack, Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro’s security detail has been reinforced due to these threats. This implementation is an important statement of how seriously Colombia is taking the growing tensions with the US.
Predictably, relations between Colombia and the US are growing tense. Since then, a slew of Colombian politicians, particularly from far-right factions, have been publicly praising Trump’s sentiments. There is still a powerful element in our community that pushes for diplomatic approaches over military ones.