Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening strains bilaterally following American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Tensions coupled with Claims
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president suggested comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the US in the campaign combating drug cartels and received bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened markedly since Trump was elected.
Its illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Strong Answer
In response to a query if military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up the fight," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have condemned the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization after he called on American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and various key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
