The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has narcotics facilities and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Tensions and Claims
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader threatened similar military action towards the South American nation, stating the country is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual who likes making the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation was historically a key ally of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from wide political approval in Washington, but relations have worsened significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Response
When asked if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. If they capture me, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," he admonished.
From Fighter to President
He passed part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I swore not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Widespread Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, but voices from across the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa after he called on US troops to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of key allies.
Simultaneously as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
