Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions bilaterally following American military units attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Threats coupled with Claims
Addressing reporters over the weekend, Trump hinted at analogous military action against Colombia, stating the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country has long been a key ally of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened markedly following Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
In response to a query whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And if they detain the president, whom a significant portion of the country holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in creating the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Increased Security and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning the political spectrum have denounced the threats of American military action against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington revoked his travel authorization after he called on American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. In October, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and a number of associates.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
