Colombia's President Says 'I Will Resort to Weapons Again' if United States Launches an Attack.

President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.

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

Growing Rhetoric and Allegations

Speaking to the press over the weekend, Trump suggested analogous military action towards the South American nation, stating the country is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."

While Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way connected to the illicit industry.

A Frayed Partnership

The country was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically since Trump was elected.

The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.

The President's Defiant Response

In response to a query if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."

Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a narco," he affirmed.

"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.

"If US bombs target civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture the president, which a significant portion of the country loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.

From Guerrilla to Statesman

He passed some years as a young man participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the nation's constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.

"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he affirmed.

Increased Security along with Widespread Rejection

The Colombian defence minister reported that Petro's personal security was strengthened.

A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning Colombian politics have condemned the possibility of a US attack against their nation.

Diplomatic and Economic Strains

The US revoked his travel authorization following he encouraged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several key allies.

At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.