The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising strains bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Allegations
Talking to the press on Sunday, the US president suggested similar use of force against Colombia, claiming the country faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally involved in the business.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation has long been a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically following Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Response
When asked if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted in a message.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which many of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s protection team had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have condemned the threats of an invasion against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he urged American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and various close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
