Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions in their relations following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader suggested comparable armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the nation faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Relationship
This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have soured markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"The US president speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the hills. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged US troops to refuse unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
