The US President and Colombia's president have intensified the tone of their exchange, heightening strains between the two countries after US forces struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats and Claims
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the American leader threatened comparable military action towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual who likes making cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the business.
A Frayed Relationship
Colombia was historically a key ally of the US in the fight combating drug cartels and received wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened markedly since Trump was elected.
Its illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Answer
Upon being questioned whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the country loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices spanning the ideological divide have condemned the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he urged US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out attacks on boats in Pacific waters near Colombia.
