The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening strains in their relations after American military units struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric and Accusations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the US president threatened similar use of force towards the South American nation, stating the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia has long been a key ally of the United States in the fight combating drug cartels and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, yet ties have soured markedly following Trump was elected.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
When asked if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"He comments without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. If they capture the president, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed some years as a young man belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's personal security was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from across the ideological divide have denounced the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa after he called on US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
