The US President and Colombia's president have intensified the tone of their war of words, further raising strains between the two countries following American military units struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric and Accusations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, Trump hinted at similar use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the nation faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure who likes making cocaine and distributing it to America."
While Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way connected to the illicit industry.
A Strained Partnership
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Response
When asked whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture me, whom a large part of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Rejection
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Financial Pressure
Washington withdrew the president's entry visa after he called on US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. In October, it placed economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed operations against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
