Colombia's President Says 'I Would Take Up Arms Once More' should American Forces Launches an Attack.

The US President and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume of their exchange, heightening strains bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He operates narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.

Rising Threats and Allegations

Talking to reporters over the weekend, Trump suggested similar military action against Colombia, claiming the country is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to the US."

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

A Deteriorating Relationship

The country has long been a close partner of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have soured significantly following Trump was elected.

Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a landmark accord.

The President's Firm Rebuttal

In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."

Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.

"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.

"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a significant portion of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.

From Insurgent to Leader

He passed some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.

"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he said.

Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Condemnation

Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's security detail had received additional support.

A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have rejected the threats of American military action against their nation.

Bilateral and Economic Strains

The US withdrew his travel authorization subsequent to he urged US troops to refuse any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of close collaborators.

Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.