Colombian President Declares 'I Would Resort to Weapons Again' should United States Launches an Attack.

President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening tensions in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He operates cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.

Escalating Threats coupled with Accusations

Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the US president hinted at similar armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting the nation is “very sick too” and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to America."

Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the trade.

A Deteriorating Partnership

The country for decades served as a key ally of the US in the fight against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically following Trump came to office.

Its narcotics trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.

Colombia's Strong Rebuttal

When asked whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."

Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.

"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.

"If US bombs target rural communities, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will release the powerful force of the nation," the president cautioned.

From Fighter to President

The president dedicated some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He served as mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.

"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.

Heightened Measures along with Broad 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 sided with the US president, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the notion of an invasion targeting Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Pressure

American authorities cancelled his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to refuse orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and various close collaborators.

Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.