The US President along with Colombia's president have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions in their relations after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and processing labs and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric and Claims
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the US president threatened analogous military action against Bogotá, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly tied to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Relationship
The country was historically a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have soured dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is predominantly run by criminal organizations including one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Response
In response to a query whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest me, whom a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating a new constitution in the early 90s and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I swore to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security and Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief reported that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have denounced the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
The US cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
