The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume of their war of words, heightening strains bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, Trump suggested analogous armed intervention against Colombia, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and led by a sick man involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the leading producer of cocaine, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain the president, whom a large part of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He served as mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he said.
Increased Security and Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders from across Colombian politics have denounced the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
The US revoked the president's entry visa following he encouraged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. Months later, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
