Colombia's Leader Declares 'I Would Take Up Arms Again' should United States Intervenes Militarily.

The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume of their exchange, further raising strains bilaterally after US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.

"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.

Rising Rhetoric and Allegations

Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump suggested similar armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and led by a sick man who likes making narcotics and distributing it to America."

While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the trade.

A Frayed Partnership

This nation was historically a close partner of the United States in the struggle against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have worsened significantly since Trump came to office.

Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.

Colombia's Firm Response

When asked if military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."

The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.

"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.

"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, which many of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.

From Insurgent to Statesman

The president dedicated some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He served as mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.

"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I would take up the fight," he vowed.

Increased Security along with Cross-Political Rejection

Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.

Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the threats of an invasion against their nation.

Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions

The US revoked Petro’s visa following he encouraged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. In October, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of key allies.

Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.