The US President along with Colombia's president have intensified the tone of their exchange, further raising tensions between the two countries following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested analogous armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who likes making the drug and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way involved in the business.
A Frayed Partnership
This nation was historically a close partner of the US in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated significantly since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters laid down arms subsequent to a landmark accord.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
When asked if a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating the nation's constitution over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Increased Security and Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures from across the ideological divide have denounced the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
The US cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence in the region and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
