President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening tensions bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs drug factories and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the US president hinted at analogous military action against Colombia, asserting Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation has long been a key ally of the US in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated markedly after Trump came to office.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Firm Response
Upon being questioned if a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, which a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security and Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures spanning the political spectrum have condemned the notion of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on US troops to disobey orders that violate law. Months later, it placed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
