The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening tensions between the two countries following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing the press on Sunday, the American leader suggested comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and led by a sick man involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically following Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And should they arrest me, which a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
He passed some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa after he urged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted asset freezes against the president, the first lady and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
