Donald Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions and Allegations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president hinted at similar military action against Bogotá, stating the country is “very sick too” and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency 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 Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the president, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to President
Petro spent a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I will take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security and Cross-Political Rejection
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s security detail was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Sanctions
The US revoked his travel authorization following he called on US troops to refuse any illegal orders. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and a number of key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
