Colombia's President Warns 'I Would Resort to Weapons Again' should US Launches an Attack.

The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions between the two countries following US forces struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.

"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.

Rising Tensions coupled with Accusations

Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader suggested comparable use of force against Bogotá, claiming the country is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."

While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally tied to the trade.

A Frayed Alliance

Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated significantly after Trump was elected.

Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.

Petro's Strong Rebuttal

When asked whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."

The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.

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

"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest the president, whom a large part of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.

From Guerrilla to Statesman

The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.

"I made a vow to never again hold a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he affirmed.

Increased Security and Broad Condemnation

Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s personal security had received additional support.

Many among Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, however, leaders from across the political spectrum have condemned the threats of a US attack on Colombia.

Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions

American authorities revoked Petro’s visa following he encouraged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. In October, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and a number of associates.

Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.