The US President and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats coupled with Accusations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader threatened analogous use of force against Colombia, asserting the nation faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure who likes making the drug and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia has long been a close partner of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured markedly after Trump came to office.
Its illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations including one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest me, whom a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing a new constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the threats of a US attack on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
The US revoked his travel authorization following he encouraged US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
