Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume of their war of words, heightening tensions in their relations following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader suggested analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, stating Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way connected to the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia was historically a key ally of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened markedly since Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms following a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the mountains. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
The president dedicated a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's personal security was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from across the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he called on US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
