Colombian President Declares 'I Shall Return to Arms Once More' if American Forces Launches an Attack.

President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He has drug factories and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.

Growing Rhetoric coupled with Claims

Addressing the press on Sunday, Trump suggested similar military action against Colombia, asserting the country is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to the US."

While Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.

A Frayed Relationship

Colombia was historically a key ally of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened dramatically after Trump came to office.

The nation's illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.

The President's Defiant Response

When asked whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."

The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he declared.

"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.

"If US bombs target civilians, they will become numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, which a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.

From Guerrilla to President

Petro spent some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.

"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.

Reinforced Protection and Cross-Political Condemnation

The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.

A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have condemned the possibility of an invasion against their nation.

Bilateral and Financial Pressure

Washington cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he called on US troops to refuse any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of key allies.

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