Colombian Leader Declares 'I Would Resort to Weapons Once More' should US Invades.

Donald Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the volume of their exchange, further raising strains in their relations following American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.

Escalating Threats and Allegations

Talking to reporters on Sunday, the US president threatened comparable use of force towards the South American nation, stating the nation is “very sick too” and governed by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."

While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the business.

A Frayed Partnership

Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured markedly following Trump came to office.

Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a landmark accord.

Colombia's Defiant Response

In response to a query if military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."

Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not a narco," he stated.

"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he posted online.

"If US bombs target peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And should they arrest the president, whom a large part of the population loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.

From Fighter to Statesman

Petro spent some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in drafting a new constitution in 1991 and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning president.

"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.

Reinforced Protection along with Broad Opposition

The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.

Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders from across the ideological divide have rejected the threats of a US attack on Colombia.

Political and Financial Sanctions

American authorities revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he called on American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. In October, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and several key allies.

Concurrently the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.