Colombia's President Says 'I Will Return to Arms Once More' if United States Intervenes Militarily.

President Trump along with Colombia's president have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising strains between the two countries following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.

"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.

Rising Tensions coupled with Allegations

Talking to reporters on Sunday, the US president threatened similar military action against Bogotá, asserting the nation faces serious problems and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the US."

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

A Deteriorating Relationship

This nation was historically a close partner of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, yet ties have deteriorated markedly since Trump was elected.

The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.

The President's Strong Rebuttal

When asked if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."

The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he declared.

"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.

"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the mountains. If they capture the president, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.

From Guerrilla to Leader

Petro spent some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the nation's constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected president.

"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he affirmed.

Reinforced Protection and Widespread Opposition

Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.

A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of American military action on Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Sanctions

American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa after he called on US troops to disobey orders that violate law. Months later, authorities imposed economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and several key allies.

Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.