Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions between the two countries following American military units targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Allegations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president hinted at analogous military action towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man who likes making cocaine and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally connected to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation has long been a key ally of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated dramatically since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is predominantly run by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Defiant Response
In response to a query whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man belonging of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of an invasion against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
American authorities revoked his travel authorization following he encouraged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and various key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
