The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, heightening strains between the two countries following US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats and Claims
Addressing the press on Sunday, Trump threatened comparable military action towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation has long been a close partner of the US in the campaign combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Answer
In response to a query whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And if they detain the president, whom a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, yet figures from across the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and various key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
