Colombian Leader Declares 'I Will Take Up Arms Again' should American Forces Intervenes Militarily.

Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.

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

Growing Tensions coupled with Accusations

Talking to reporters over the weekend, the American leader suggested comparable use of force against Colombia, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who enjoys creating narcotics and trafficking it to America."

While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.

A Strained Relationship

Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.

Its narcotics trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.

The President's Strong Rebuttal

When asked if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."

Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he stated.

"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed online.

"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom many of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.

From Fighter to Statesman

He passed a period in his early life as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing a new constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the nation's highest office.

"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he affirmed.

Increased Security and Cross-Political Rejection

Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.

Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.

Diplomatic and Financial Strains

Washington cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he urged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and a number of associates.

At the same time while America bolstered its military presence in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on boats off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.