President Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, further raising strains in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Threats coupled with Accusations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the American leader threatened analogous use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the nation faces serious problems and “run by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation has long been a close partner of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated markedly following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security along with Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
The US revoked the president's entry visa subsequent to he encouraged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently as the US increased its forces near Venezuela and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
