President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Threats coupled with Claims
Addressing reporters over the weekend, Trump hinted at analogous use of force against Bogotá, stating the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way connected to the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have worsened significantly after Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 armed organization although reports indicate to have ever took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the threats of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa following he urged US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
