President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the tone of their exchange, increasing strains between the two countries after US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric and Claims
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump threatened comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly connected to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Firm Response
In response to a query whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the president, whom a large part of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to President
The president dedicated part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.
"I made a vow not to touch a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa following he called on American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. In October, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and several key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
