The US President and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the tone of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations following American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Tensions and Allegations
Talking to the press on Sunday, Trump suggested similar military action against Bogotá, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and led by an unwell individual who likes making the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the business.
A Strained Alliance
Colombia has long been a key ally of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured significantly after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he posted online.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing a new constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from across Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked the president's entry visa following he encouraged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and several key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
