Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates drug factories and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Threats and Allegations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested comparable military action against Colombia, claiming the country faces serious problems and led by a sick man involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation for decades served as a key ally of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have soured dramatically following Trump was elected.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters disbanded following a historic peace agreement.
The President's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked if military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, whom a large part of the country admires and supports, they will release the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I swore to never again hold a gun ... but for the homeland I will take up the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged US troops to ignore unlawful commands. Later, in October, the US enacted asset freezes against the president, his wife and a number of key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
