Colombian Leader Warns 'I Would Resort to Weapons Once More' should American Forces Launches an Attack.

The US President and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their exchange, heightening strains bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.

Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations

Talking to journalists on Sunday, the US president suggested similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to the US."

Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the trade.

A Frayed Relationship

The country for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval in Washington, but relations have soured dramatically after Trump was elected.

Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.

Colombia's Firm Answer

In response to a query if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."

President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a narco," he declared.

"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.

"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.

From Guerrilla to Statesman

He passed part of his youth as a member with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election the nation's highest office.

"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.

Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation

Colombia's defense chief announced that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.

Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Sanctions

The US withdrew his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and various close collaborators.

At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.