The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their exchange, increasing strains in their relations after US forces struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Growing Threats coupled with Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, the American leader threatened comparable military action against Bogotá, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
The country was historically a key ally of the United States in the struggle against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have worsened markedly following Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, which many of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
He passed part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the region and bombing suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
