The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising strains between the two countries following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Threats and Accusations
Talking to the press on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man involved in producing the drug and selling it to America."
Although Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation has long been a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have soured dramatically since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest me, whom many of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting a new constitution over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning the political spectrum have condemned the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he urged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his wife and several associates.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
