The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing strains bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the American leader threatened analogous use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally connected to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured dramatically after Trump was elected.
Its illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture the president, whom many of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have denounced the threats of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington withdrew the president's entry visa after he called on US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and various associates.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
