The US President along with Colombia's president have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing strains in their relations after American military units struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Talking to the press on Sunday, Trump suggested comparable military action against Colombia, claiming the country is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia has long been a key ally of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have worsened markedly after Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised following a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Answer
In response to a query if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the president, whom many of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices from across the political spectrum have condemned the threats of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
The US withdrew Petro’s visa following he encouraged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.
Concurrently as the US increased its military presence near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
