President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions in their relations following US forces struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Threats and Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump hinted at comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the nation faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Relationship
This nation for decades served as a close partner of the US in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly following Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Answer
When asked if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom many of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá before winning president.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have rejected the threats of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa after he encouraged American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and various key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its forces near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations on boats off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
