Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Threats and Allegations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president threatened similar armed intervention against Colombia, claiming Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who likes making the drug and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
When asked if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture me, which a large part of the country admires and supports, they will release the fierce spirit of the populace," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Cross-Political Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
Washington cancelled his travel authorization after he urged US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its military presence in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks on boats in Pacific waters near Colombia.
