The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the tone of their war of words, increasing tensions between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Tensions and Allegations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, Trump threatened analogous use of force towards the South American nation, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia has long been a key ally of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated markedly after Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Response
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"He comments without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And should they arrest the president, which many of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged not to touch a weapon again ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Broad Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump, but voices from across the political spectrum have denounced the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on US troops to ignore unlawful commands. In October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the region and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
