Colombian Leader Declares 'I Would Take Up Arms Once More' if United States Intervenes Militarily.

President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions between the two countries following US forces struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.

Escalating Tensions coupled with Accusations

Addressing journalists on Sunday, the US president threatened comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States."

Although Colombia is the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.

A Deteriorating Partnership

This nation has long been a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have worsened markedly following Trump assumed the presidency.

Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms after a landmark accord.

Petro's Defiant Answer

In response to a query whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."

President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.

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

"Should American forces attack civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest me, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the populace," the president cautioned.

From Fighter to President

The president dedicated part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.

"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," he vowed.

Reinforced Protection and Widespread Condemnation

The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.

Many among Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Strains

Washington withdrew Petro’s visa after he encouraged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and various associates.

Simultaneously as the US increased its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.