Colombian Leader Says 'I Will Resort to Weapons Again' if US Invades.

The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening tensions bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.

"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.

Growing Rhetoric and Allegations

Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Trump suggested similar use of force against Colombia, claiming the country is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to America."

Although Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the trade.

A Frayed Partnership

This nation was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have soured dramatically since Trump was elected.

Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.

The President's Strong Response

In response to a query if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."

President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a narco," he stated.

"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed online.

"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture the nation's leader, which a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," he admonished.

From Guerrilla to President

The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he took part in writing a new constitution in 1991 and later became a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.

"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he vowed.

Heightened Measures and Widespread Rejection

The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.

Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have condemned the notion of an invasion targeting Colombia.

Diplomatic and Financial Pressure

American authorities withdrew the president's entry visa after he urged American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. In October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.

At the same time as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.