The US President and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Threats and Allegations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader suggested similar military action against Bogotá, asserting Colombia is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to America."
While Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia was historically a key ally of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have worsened markedly following Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And should they arrest me, which a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from across Colombian politics have denounced the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
The US withdrew the president's entry visa after he encouraged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
