Donald Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Claims
Addressing the press on Sunday, Trump suggested comparable use of force towards the South American nation, stating the nation is also "very ill" and led by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and selling it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally connected to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia has long been a close partner of the United States in the struggle combating drug cartels and received wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have soured dramatically following Trump was elected.
The nation's narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Answer
When asked whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And if they detain the president, which many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in creating the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Cross-Political Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's personal security was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged US military personnel to refuse any illegal orders. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his wife and several associates.
Simultaneously as the US increased its military presence near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes against vessels in Pacific waters near Colombia.
