Colombia's President Warns 'I Would Return to Arms Again' should American Forces Intervenes Militarily.

Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He has drug factories and production sites and his time is running out," Trump remarked.

Escalating Threats coupled with Accusations

Talking to the press on Sunday, Trump threatened analogous military action towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who likes making the drug and selling it to the US."

Although Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally involved in the trade.

A Strained Alliance

The country for decades served as a key ally of the US in the fight combating drug cartels and received cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated markedly since Trump was elected.

Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.

Colombia's Strong Response

When asked whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."

The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.

"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he posted in a message.

"If US bombs target peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture me, whom a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," he admonished.

From Guerrilla to President

The president dedicated some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.

"I pledged not to touch a weapon again ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he said.

Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Condemnation

The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s protection team was strengthened.

Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack against their nation.

Political and Economic Strains

The US cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged US troops to disobey any illegal orders. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his spouse and a number of associates.

At the same time as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes against vessels in Pacific waters near Colombia.