The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their war of words, heightening strains between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the American leader hinted at analogous use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the country is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to America."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly tied to the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated markedly since Trump was elected.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom disbanded subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain me, which many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the nation's constitution over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister reported that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the threats of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
The US cancelled his travel authorization after he urged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks against vessels in Pacific waters near Colombia.
