Colombian President Warns 'I Will Take Up Arms Again' should American Forces Intervenes Militarily.

The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening strains between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.

"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump added.

Growing Tensions coupled with Accusations

Addressing the press on Sunday, the American leader hinted at analogous use of force towards the South American nation, asserting Colombia is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to America."

While Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the business.

A Strained Alliance

The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, but relations have soured significantly since Trump was elected.

The nation's narcotics trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations such as the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.

Petro's Firm Rebuttal

In response to a query whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."

Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the last century, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.

"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.

"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.

From Guerrilla to Leader

Petro spent some years as a young man participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he took part in creating a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.

"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he said.

Increased Security and Widespread Rejection

Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.

A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from across the ideological divide have rejected the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Sanctions

The US cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he called on US troops to disobey any illegal orders. Months later, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his wife and various close collaborators.

Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.