The US President and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone of their exchange, heightening strains in their relations after US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader hinted at analogous military action against Bogotá, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the US."
While Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation has long been a key ally of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Response
In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered 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 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture me, which many of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa after he encouraged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
