The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening tensions between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Threats and Allegations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the US president threatened analogous use of force against Colombia, claiming the country is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who likes making the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Partnership
The country for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have worsened markedly since Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms subsequent to a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the hills. If they capture me, which a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
He passed some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, but voices from across the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Political and Financial Strains
The US cancelled the president's entry visa following he urged US military personnel to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its troop levels in the region and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
