Colombia's President Declares 'I Shall Resort to Weapons Again' should United States Launches an Attack.

The US President and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, heightening strains between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from his position.

"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.

Escalating Threats and Claims

Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the American leader hinted at similar military action towards the South American nation, stating the country is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."

Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way connected to the illicit industry.

A Strained Alliance

Colombia has long been a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.

Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded following a historic peace agreement.

Colombia's Strong Answer

Upon being questioned whether 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 demobilised decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he stated.

"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.

"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain the president, whom a large part of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.

From Insurgent to President

Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution over three decades ago subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected the presidency.

"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he vowed.

Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection

Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.

A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have condemned the threats of American military action targeting Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Strains

Washington cancelled the president's entry visa following he called on US troops to refuse unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.

At the same time while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.