Colombia's President Declares 'I Shall Take Up Arms Again' should United States Invades.

President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume of their war of words, increasing tensions bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He has narcotics facilities and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.

Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations

Addressing reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested comparable use of force against Colombia, claiming Colombia is “very sick too” and led by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the US."

Although Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly involved in the illicit industry.

A Frayed Alliance

Colombia has long been a key ally of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have soured dramatically after Trump was elected.

Its drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.

Colombia's Firm Rebuttal

In response to a query if military intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."

President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a narco," he declared.

"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote online.

"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," the president cautioned.

From Guerrilla to Statesman

He passed part of his youth belonging of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in writing the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. 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 would take up weapons once more," he vowed.

Increased Security along with Widespread Condemnation

The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's security detail had received additional support.

Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices from across the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action against their nation.

Political and Financial Pressure

Washington withdrew the president's entry visa subsequent to he called on American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, it placed asset freezes against the president, his wife and a number of associates.

Concurrently the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.