President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions between the two countries following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric and Allegations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Trump threatened analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the business.
A Strained Relationship
The country has long been a close partner of the United States in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have worsened significantly following Trump came to office.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Strong Answer
When asked if military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of the country loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the populace," he admonished.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
The US cancelled Petro’s visa after he encouraged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
