Colombian Leader Declares 'I Would Resort to Weapons Again' if American Forces Invades.

President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, increasing tensions in their relations following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.

"He runs drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.

Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations

Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader threatened analogous armed intervention against Colombia, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the US."

Although Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the business.

A Strained Partnership

This nation for decades served as a close partner of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, yet ties have soured significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.

Colombia’s narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.

Petro's Strong Response

When asked if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."

The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.

"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.

"If US bombs target rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, which many of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.

From Insurgent to President

The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he took part in drafting the nation's constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.

"I made a vow to never again hold a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.

Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection

The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.

A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of a US attack against their nation.

Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions

Washington cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and a number of key allies.

Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.