Colombia's President Says 'I Shall Take Up Arms Once More' if United States Invades.

President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the tone of their war of words, increasing strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from his position.

"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.

Escalating Rhetoric and Claims

Addressing the press over the weekend, the US president threatened comparable use of force towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating narcotics and selling it to the US."

While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally connected to the business.

A Frayed Partnership

This nation was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated significantly following Trump was elected.

Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a landmark accord.

Colombia's Firm Response

When asked whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."

The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.

"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.

"If US bombs target civilians, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And if they detain me, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.

From Insurgent to President

Petro spent part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.

"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.

Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Condemnation

Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.

Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from across Colombian politics have denounced the threats of a US attack against their nation.

Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions

American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa after he called on US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, it placed economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and several associates.

At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed attacks against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.