President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone of their war of words, heightening tensions bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, the American leader threatened similar military action towards the South American nation, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded following a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Answer
In response to a query if military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he posted in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. If they capture me, which a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Broad Rejection
Colombia's defense chief announced that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump, yet figures from across the ideological divide have rejected the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
Washington withdrew his travel authorization after he called on American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed strikes on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
