Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume of their war of words, increasing strains bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Tensions coupled with Allegations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, Trump hinted at similar armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the leading producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way connected to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country has long been a key ally of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have worsened markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
In response to a query whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest me, which many of Colombians admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in creating the nation's constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, but voices from across the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization following he called on US troops to ignore any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his wife and various close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
