Colombia's Leader Says 'I Would Return to Arms Once More' should American Forces Invades.

The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, increasing strains in their relations following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.

"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.

Escalating Threats coupled with Accusations

Talking to reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming the nation faces serious problems and led by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States."

Although Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly tied to the trade.

A Strained Alliance

The country has long been a key ally of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened dramatically after Trump came to office.

Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations including one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.

The President's Defiant Answer

In response to a query if military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."

Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.

"He comments without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.

"Should American forces attack civilians, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom a significant portion of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.

From Guerrilla to Leader

Petro spent a period in his early life belonging of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.

"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he vowed.

Heightened Measures and Widespread Opposition

The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's personal security was strengthened.

Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, yet figures from across the political spectrum have denounced the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.

Diplomatic and Economic Strains

The US revoked Petro’s visa after he urged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and various key allies.

Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.