President Trump along with Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their war of words, heightening tensions bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Threats and Allegations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the American leader suggested similar armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation for decades served as a close partner of the US in the campaign combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
In response to a query if military intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without information. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a large part of the country loves and respects, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in creating a new constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, but voices from all sides of Colombian politics have condemned the notion of American military action against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
Washington withdrew the president's entry visa following he encouraged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several close collaborators.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels in the region and striking suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
