President Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions between the two countries after US forces struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, Trump threatened similar use of force towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Partnership
Colombia has long been a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Response
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And if they detain me, whom a large part of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have denounced the threats of a US attack against their nation.
Political and Economic Sanctions
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa following he urged US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and several associates.
At the same time the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
