Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening strains in their relations following American military units struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Accusations
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Trump suggested comparable military action towards the South American nation, stating Colombia faces serious problems and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
Colombia has long been a key ally of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Answer
When asked if military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a large part of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
He passed a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in creating the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, yet figures from across Colombian politics have rejected the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
American authorities revoked his travel authorization after he called on US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
