The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations after US forces attacked Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric and Accusations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the US president threatened comparable military action against Colombia, stating Colombia faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Response
When asked whether military intervention similar 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 the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom many of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
He passed a period in his early life belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s security detail was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Political and Financial Sanctions
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa following he urged US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its military presence in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out strikes against vessels in Pacific waters near Colombia.
