Colombia's President Declares 'I Shall Resort to Weapons Once More' should US Launches an Attack.

The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising strains bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.

Rising Tensions and Accusations

Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president threatened comparable use of force against Bogotá, claiming the country faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure who likes making cocaine and distributing it to America."

While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the business.

A Frayed Relationship

Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of the United States in the struggle against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have soured dramatically since Trump was elected.

The nation's narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.

Petro's Strong Response

Upon being questioned if a military operation like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."

The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he declared.

"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.

"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.

From Insurgent to President

He passed a period in his early life belonging of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.

"I made a vow to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he vowed.

Increased Security and Cross-Political Rejection

Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's security detail was strengthened.

A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of an invasion against their nation.

Bilateral and Economic Sanctions

American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa following he called on US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.

Concurrently as the US increased its military presence in the region and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.