President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains in their relations after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Addressing the press over the weekend, Trump suggested comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and governed by a sick man who likes making the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the business.
A Strained Alliance
This nation for decades served as a close partner of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have soured markedly since Trump came to office.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in drafting the nation's constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, but voices from across Colombian politics have condemned the threats of an invasion against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged US troops to disobey unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and several key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
