The US President and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Accusations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, Trump suggested similar military action against Bogotá, stating the country is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Alliance
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, but relations have soured significantly following Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked if a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. If they capture me, which many of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed part of his youth belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume weapons once more," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the notion of American military action against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization following he called on American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
