The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the tone of their exchange, increasing strains between the two countries following American military units struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Accusations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, Trump suggested analogous military action towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the business.
A Strained Relationship
The country has long been a close partner of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated markedly following Trump came to office.
The nation's narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
When asked whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture me, which many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s security detail had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders from across Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of an invasion against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington withdrew his travel authorization after he encouraged American soldiers to refuse any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and a number of key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces in the region and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
