President Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the volume of their war of words, heightening strains in their relations after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, Trump suggested similar armed intervention against Bogotá, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the trade.
A Strained Alliance
The country has long been a close partner of the United States in the struggle against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured dramatically following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded subsequent to a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom many of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
Washington revoked the president's entry visa after he called on US troops to refuse orders that violate law. Later, in October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed strikes on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
