President Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations
Talking to the press over the weekend, the US president suggested comparable military action against Bogotá, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country was historically a key ally of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated significantly after Trump was elected.
The nation's narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of the country holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to President
Petro spent a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I swore not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and various key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
