The US President and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume of their war of words, heightening strains bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions and Claims
Talking to the press on Sunday, Trump threatened analogous use of force against Bogotá, stating Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia remains the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and received wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically since Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
When asked whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture me, which many of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's personal security was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
The US withdrew his travel authorization following he encouraged US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out strikes on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
