Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their exchange, heightening tensions between the two countries following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric and Accusations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the American leader suggested comparable military action against Colombia, asserting the country is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
This nation has long been a close partner of the US in the fight against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have worsened significantly following Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Response
When asked whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised decades ago, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, whom many of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating a new constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning Colombian politics have denounced the threats of American military action against their nation.
Political and Financial Strains
The US withdrew the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. In October, it placed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
