President Trump and Colombia's president have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs drug factories and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric and Accusations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader suggested analogous military action towards the South American nation, claiming the country faces serious problems and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the business.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia has long been a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured markedly since Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Answer
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which a large part of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed part of his youth as a member in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He served as mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the threats of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
Washington revoked the president's entry visa after he called on US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
