The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at similar military action against Bogotá, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country for decades served as a key ally of the United States in the struggle against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have soured significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Answer
When asked whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest the president, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed 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. Upon leaving the group, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the national leader's personal security was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, but voices spanning the political spectrum have condemned the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization following he urged US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and a number of associates.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
