Colombian President Declares 'I Shall Return to Arms Again' should American Forces Intervenes Militarily.

President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising strains in their relations after American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.

"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.

Escalating Tensions and Claims

Addressing journalists over the weekend, the American leader suggested similar use of force towards the South American nation, stating the nation faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who likes making narcotics and selling it to the US."

While Colombia stands as the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the business.

A Strained Partnership

The country for decades served as a key ally of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated significantly since Trump was elected.

Its drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.

Petro's Defiant Rebuttal

When asked if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me."

President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.

"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.

"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.

From Fighter to President

The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he took part in drafting the nation's constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.

"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he said.

Increased Security along with Widespread Rejection

The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.

Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump, however, leaders from across the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of American military action on Colombia.

Diplomatic and Financial Strains

American authorities cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged US military personnel to refuse orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and several key allies.

At the same time as the US increased its troop levels in the region and bombing suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.