President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions between the two countries after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing the press on Sunday, the American leader threatened analogous military action against Colombia, claiming the country is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country has long been a key ally of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have worsened markedly following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing a new constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Cross-Political Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Pressure
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization subsequent to he urged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and several key allies.
Simultaneously as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and striking suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
