The US President along with Colombia's president have intensified the tone of their war of words, increasing strains in their relations after American military units struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump threatened analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and selling it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and received bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened significantly since Trump came to office.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Response
When asked if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted in a message.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from across the ideological divide have denounced the threats of an invasion against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa after he called on US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Later, in October, the US enacted asset freezes against the president, his spouse and various close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
