Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume of their war of words, further raising tensions between the two countries after American military units struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Accusations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested comparable use of force against Colombia, stating the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the business.
A Strained Relationship
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated dramatically following Trump was elected.
The nation's narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Answer
Upon being questioned if military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, yet figures from across the political spectrum have denounced the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Pressure
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he called on US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
