President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions between the two countries after American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric and Allegations
Talking to the press on Sunday, Trump hinted at analogous military action against Bogotá, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia has long been a key ally of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a landmark accord.
Petro's Strong Response
Upon being questioned whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain me, whom many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 armed organization but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he took part in drafting a new constitution in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I swore not to touch a gun ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
American authorities revoked his travel authorization following he encouraged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and various associates.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
