The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising strains between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader hinted at similar military action against Bogotá, stating the nation faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have soured significantly after Trump was elected.
The nation's illicit drug economy is predominantly run by criminal organizations like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms after a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture me, whom a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Cross-Political Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
The US cancelled his travel authorization following he urged US troops to refuse unlawful commands. In October, it placed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and several associates.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
