The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume of their exchange, heightening tensions in their relations after American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Threats and Allegations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader suggested comparable armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the nation faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Strained Alliance
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, yet ties have soured markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, which many of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I swore not to touch a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that the president’s protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the ideological divide have denounced the threats of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
The US revoked his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his spouse and various key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces in the region and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.