The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising strains in their relations following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions and Claims
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested analogous military action towards the South American nation, asserting the country is “very sick too” and governed by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Strained Partnership
The country for decades served as a close partner of the US in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have soured dramatically following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain the president, whom many of Colombians admires and supports, they will release the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Fighter to President
He passed some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the nation's constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he vowed.
Increased Security and Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Financial Pressure
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa following he called on US troops to ignore unlawful commands. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and several key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted operations against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
