Colombian President Warns 'I Will Resort to Weapons Again' should American Forces Launches an Attack.

Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening strains between the two countries after US forces struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.

Escalating Threats and Allegations

Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the US president hinted at comparable military action against Bogotá, claiming the country is “very sick too” and governed by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to America."

While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.

A Frayed Relationship

Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have soured dramatically since Trump came to office.

Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups including one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a landmark accord.

Petro's Defiant Response

Upon being questioned if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."

Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied the accusations. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a narco," he stated.

"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he posted in a message.

"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," he admonished.

From Guerrilla to President

He passed some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.

"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.

Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Condemnation

The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's protection team was strengthened.

Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the threats of American military action on Colombia.

Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions

Washington revoked Petro’s visa following he encouraged American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and various key allies.

Simultaneously as the US increased its troop levels in the region and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.