Colombia's President Says 'I Would Take Up Arms Once More' if United States Invades.

Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening tensions between the two countries following American military units targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He has drug factories and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.

Escalating Threats coupled with Accusations

Speaking to the press over the weekend, the US president hinted at comparable armed intervention against Colombia, asserting Colombia is “very sick too” and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to America."

While Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.

A Frayed Partnership

This nation has long been a key ally of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have deteriorated dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.

Colombia’s narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised following a landmark accord.

The President's Defiant Rebuttal

When asked whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."

Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he declared.

"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.

"If US bombs target peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a large part of the country admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," the president cautioned.

From Insurgent to Leader

The president dedicated a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.

"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he said.

Increased Security along with Cross-Political Opposition

The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's protection team was strengthened.

Several members of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the notion of a US attack on Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Pressure

American authorities revoked his travel authorization following he called on American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, the first lady and a number of key allies.

At the same time as the US increased its military presence in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.