The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their war of words, increasing strains bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Accusations
Talking to reporters over the weekend, Trump suggested similar military action towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the fight against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised following a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest the president, which many of the country holds in high esteem, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
He passed some years as a young man belonging of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Increased Security and Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders spanning the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
The US cancelled his travel authorization following he called on US troops to disobey unlawful commands. In October, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Concurrently as the US increased its military presence in the region and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed attacks on boats off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
