The US President and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Threats and Claims
Talking to reporters on Sunday, the US president hinted at comparable military action against Colombia, asserting the nation faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way connected to the business.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation was historically a key ally of the United States in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured markedly since Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain the president, whom a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
The US withdrew his travel authorization after he urged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.
Concurrently as the US increased its military presence in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
