Colombia's President Says 'I Will Resort to Weapons Again' if United States Intervenes Militarily.

The US President and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions in their relations following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.

"He has narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.

Growing Threats and Claims

Talking to the press over the weekend, Trump hinted at analogous armed intervention against Colombia, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the United States."

While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally connected to the illicit industry.

A Deteriorating Relationship

Colombia was historically a key ally of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and received wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have soured markedly following Trump was elected.

Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.

Petro's Strong Response

In response to a query whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."

Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.

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

"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom many of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.

From Fighter to Leader

The president dedicated some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected president.

"I made a vow to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he said.

Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition

The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s personal security was strengthened.

A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from across Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of a US attack against their nation.

Bilateral and Economic Pressure

The US cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.

Concurrently while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.