The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their war of words, further raising tensions between the two countries following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader suggested comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened markedly following Trump came to office.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. If they capture me, which a large part of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in writing the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore not to touch a weapon again ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Rejection
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from across the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged US military personnel to refuse any illegal orders. Months later, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
