The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising strains bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Accusations
Addressing reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested similar armed intervention against Colombia, stating Colombia faces serious problems and led by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have soured dramatically following Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
The President's Firm Response
In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he expressed online.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the president, which a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in writing a new constitution in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have rejected the threats of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Pressure
The US revoked the president's entry visa after he urged US military personnel to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
