President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising strains between the two countries after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the US president hinted at analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the country faces serious problems and “run by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the fight combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have worsened significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom many of the population holds in high esteem, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in creating the nation's constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization following he urged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
