The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the tone of their exchange, increasing tensions between the two countries after American military units struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates drug factories and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Tensions coupled with Accusations
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump suggested similar use of force against Colombia, claiming the country is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally connected to the trade.
A Frayed Partnership
The country for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the struggle against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically since Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
The president dedicated part of his youth belonging in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have rejected the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Economic Sanctions
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
