The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Addressing journalists over the weekend, the US president suggested similar military action towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man involved in producing the drug and selling it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded after a landmark accord.
Petro's Strong Response
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom a significant portion of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," he admonished.
From Insurgent to President
He passed some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security and Broad Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of an invasion on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
Simultaneously as the US increased its forces in the region and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
