The US President and Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Tensions coupled with Accusations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader suggested similar armed intervention against Colombia, stating the nation is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to America."
While Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
This nation has long been a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated dramatically since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected these allegations. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have condemned the threats of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and several associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
