The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising strains in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous use of force against Colombia, claiming the country faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Partnership
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, yet ties have soured dramatically since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
In response to a query whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture me, whom a significant portion of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the threats of an invasion on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
The US revoked his travel authorization after he called on US troops to ignore any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and various key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
