Colombian Leader Warns 'I Shall Take Up Arms Again' should American Forces Intervenes Militarily.

President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.

Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations

Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous use of force against Colombia, asserting Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to America."

While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way connected to the illicit industry.

A Deteriorating Relationship

This nation for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have soured significantly since Trump was elected.

Its drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.

Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal

Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."

The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.

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

"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the country loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the nation," the president cautioned.

From Fighter to Leader

He passed some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.

"I made a vow to never again hold a gun ... but in defense of my country I shall resume arms again," he vowed.

Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection

The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s protection team had received additional support.

Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have denounced the notion of a US attack on Colombia.

Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions

The US revoked the president's entry visa after he called on American soldiers to refuse any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.

Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations against vessels in Pacific waters near Colombia.