The US President along with Colombia's president have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing strains bilaterally after US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions and Allegations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president threatened similar use of force towards the South American nation, stating the country is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of the United States in the struggle against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
When asked whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. If they capture the president, which a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning the political spectrum have condemned the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Strains
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa following he called on US troops to ignore orders that violate law. In October, it placed economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and various close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations against vessels in Pacific waters near Colombia.
