The US President and Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening strains bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Threats coupled with Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump threatened analogous military action against Colombia, asserting Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Alliance
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, yet ties have soured dramatically since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised subsequent to a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Response
When asked if a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest me, whom a large part of the country loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security along with Widespread Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, however, leaders from across the political spectrum have denounced the threats of an invasion against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
American authorities revoked the president's entry visa subsequent to he called on American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and a number of associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
