President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing strains in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Threats coupled with Claims
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia has long been a key ally of the United States in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
When asked if a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, which a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating a new constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá 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 affirmed.
Increased Security along with Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have condemned the notion of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization following he called on American soldiers to refuse any illegal orders. Months later, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
