The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone of their war of words, increasing strains bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats and Allegations
Talking to the press on Sunday, the American leader suggested analogous military action against Colombia, stating the country is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and selling it to America."
Although Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have soured dramatically since Trump was elected.
The nation's narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
In response to a query whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the population loves and respects, they will release the fierce spirit of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed part of his youth as a member in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in drafting the nation's constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from across the ideological divide have rejected the notion of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew the president's entry visa following he encouraged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its forces in the region and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
