The US President and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at similar use of force against Bogotá, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of the United States in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a landmark accord.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security and Cross-Political Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s protection team had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
The US withdrew the president's entry visa subsequent to he called on US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed economic restrictions on Petro, the first lady and several key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
