Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, Trump suggested similar armed intervention against Bogotá, stating the country is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of the United States in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of the country loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in creating the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning 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 Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization following he encouraged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its forces near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
