Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions in their relations following American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Threats and Accusations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous use of force against Bogotá, claiming the country faces serious problems and led by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to America."
While Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight combating drug cartels and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, however, the relationship have soured dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I involved in narcotics," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, which a large part of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in creating a new constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Increased Security along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that Petro's personal security was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged US troops to refuse unlawful commands. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
