The US President and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone of their war of words, heightening strains between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has narcotics facilities and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Threats and Accusations
Addressing reporters over the weekend, the American leader suggested similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way connected to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Alliance
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded after a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Strong Answer
In response to a query if a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures from across the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of an invasion against their nation.
Political and Financial Sanctions
Washington withdrew his travel authorization following he urged American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its military presence in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
