Colombian President Says 'I Will Return to Arms Once More' should United States Invades.

The US President and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.

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

Growing Threats and Accusations

Addressing the press over the weekend, the US president suggested analogous military action against Bogotá, claiming the country is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man who likes making narcotics and selling it to the US."

While Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the business.

A Frayed Relationship

Colombia for decades served as a key ally of the US in the fight combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have soured significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.

Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded after a historic peace agreement.

The President's Firm Answer

Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."

Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.

"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted online.

"If US bombs target rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.

From Insurgent to President

The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.

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

Heightened Measures and Widespread Rejection

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

A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with the US president, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the threats of an invasion against their nation.

Political and Financial Sanctions

American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he encouraged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.

Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.