Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the tone of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates narcotics facilities and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing reporters over the weekend, the American leader threatened analogous armed intervention against Colombia, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated dramatically following Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a landmark accord.
The President's Strong Answer
In response to a query whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture me, whom a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will release the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he affirmed.
Increased Security and Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew the president's entry visa after he urged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and various associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
