The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have turned up the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations after US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Threats and Accusations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader hinted at comparable military action against Bogotá, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly tied to the trade.
A Strained Alliance
The country for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, but relations have soured markedly after Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Firm Answer
When asked whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture the president, whom a large part of the country admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Increased Security and Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have condemned the notion of American military action against their nation.
Political and Financial Sanctions
The US cancelled his travel authorization following he encouraged US troops to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and several close collaborators.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed attacks on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
