President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions between the two countries following US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates drug factories and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Threats and Accusations
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous military action towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured markedly after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members disbanded after a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, whom a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed part of his youth as a member with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have denounced the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
The US revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he urged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
