The US President along with Colombia's president have intensified the tone of their war of words, increasing tensions bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats and Allegations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the American leader suggested similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the country is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of the United States in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured markedly following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, which many of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in creating a new constitution over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Cross-Political Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
Washington revoked his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his wife and several associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
