Colombia's President Declares 'I Will Take Up Arms Again' if American Forces Intervenes Militarily.

Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.

"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.

Escalating Threats coupled with Accusations

Addressing the press over the weekend, Trump hinted at analogous armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the nation is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and distributing it to the US."

While Colombia is the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the business.

A Frayed Partnership

This nation was historically a close partner of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have soured significantly after Trump was elected.

Its drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded following a landmark accord.

Petro's Firm Rebuttal

Upon being questioned if military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."

President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.

"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.

"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, which many of the population admires and supports, they will release the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.

From Fighter to Leader

He passed some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.

"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume the fight," he vowed.

Increased Security and Broad Rejection

Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.

Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have rejected the threats of an invasion against their nation.

Political and Economic Pressure

Washington withdrew his travel authorization after he urged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. Later, in October, it placed economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and a number of close collaborators.

Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.