Colombia's Leader Declares 'I Would Resort to Weapons Once More' if United States Launches an Attack.

President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains in their relations following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.

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

Escalating Tensions and Claims

Talking to journalists on Sunday, Trump suggested similar use of force against Colombia, asserting the country is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to America."

While Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.

A Frayed Partnership

Colombia has long been a close partner of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and received wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have soured markedly since Trump was elected.

The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.

Colombia's Strong Answer

When asked whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."

President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he affirmed.

"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.

"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," he admonished.

From Guerrilla to President

He passed some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in creating a new constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.

"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he said.

Reinforced Protection and Widespread Condemnation

The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.

Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, but voices from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.

Diplomatic and Economic Strains

The US revoked the president's entry visa after he urged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, it placed economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and several close collaborators.

At the same time the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.