President Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the volume of their war of words, heightening strains between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Threats coupled with Claims
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader threatened analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, stating the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
This nation for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated dramatically following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"He comments without information. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain me, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa following he called on US military personnel to refuse orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and various key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
