The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Threats coupled with Claims
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader threatened comparable use of force against Colombia, stating the nation is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who likes making cocaine and selling it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Partnership
Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the struggle against narcotics trade and received wide political approval in the US capital, but relations have soured dramatically following Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. If they capture the president, which many of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices from across the ideological divide have denounced the threats of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he urged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
