President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations following US forces struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Tensions coupled with Allegations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader suggested analogous armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the country is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who likes making the drug and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally connected to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
The country has long been a key ally of the US in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, yet ties have deteriorated markedly after Trump came to office.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters laid down arms after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture the nation's leader, which many of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from across the political spectrum have condemned the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
Washington revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, it placed economic restrictions on Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
