Donald Trump and Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their war of words, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the US president threatened comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country has long been a close partner of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms following a landmark accord.
Petro's Strong Answer
When asked whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the president, which a significant portion of the country loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the people," he admonished.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I shall resume arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning the political spectrum have denounced the threats of American military action against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
Washington revoked the president's entry visa following he urged US military personnel to refuse any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted strikes on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
