The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and processing labs and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Rising Tensions and Accusations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump suggested similar use of force towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation for decades served as a staunch collaborator of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and received wide political approval in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its illicit drug economy is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, rejected the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have rejected the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US revoked his travel authorization after he called on US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and various close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
