President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains between the two countries after US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Talking to the press on Sunday, Trump hinted at similar use of force against Colombia, claiming the nation faces serious problems and governed by a sick man involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have deteriorated markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked if military intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the president, whom many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, but voices from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he encouraged US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
