The US President and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their war of words, increasing strains in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Tensions and Accusations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia was historically a key ally of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have worsened markedly after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms following a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Response
In response to a query whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
Washington revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to refuse orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of close collaborators.
Simultaneously the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
