Colombia's President Declares 'I Would Return to Arms Once More' should American Forces Invades.

President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.

"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.

Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations

Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader hinted at comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the nation is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the US."

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

A Frayed Partnership

The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have worsened markedly since Trump was elected.

The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised following a historic peace agreement.

Petro's Firm Answer

In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."

Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a narco," he affirmed.

"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted online.

"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain the president, whom a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.

From Fighter to President

The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.

"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he vowed.

Increased Security and Cross-Political Condemnation

Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's protection team was strengthened.

Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Sanctions

American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa after he urged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and various close collaborators.

Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.