Colombia's President Says 'I Shall Resort to Weapons Once More' should American Forces Launches an Attack.

President Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising strains in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.

"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.

Escalating Rhetoric and Claims

Addressing the press over the weekend, the US president threatened similar use of force towards the South American nation, stating the nation faces serious problems and led by a sick man who likes making cocaine and distributing it to the United States."

While Colombia is 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 Relationship

This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have soured markedly following Trump was elected.

Its drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded after a historic peace agreement.

The President's Firm Rebuttal

In response to a query if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."

President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.

"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.

"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom many of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.

From Fighter to Leader

He passed some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.

"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I will take up the fight," he said.

Reinforced Protection along with Broad Rejection

The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.

A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from across Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.

Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions

American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa following he urged US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and several key allies.

At the same time while America bolstered its military presence in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.