Colombia's Leader Warns 'I Would Resort to Weapons Again' should United States Intervenes Militarily.

The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.

"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.

Escalating Threats and Allegations

Talking to reporters over the weekend, Trump threatened comparable use of force against Bogotá, claiming the country is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the US."

While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly tied to the illicit industry.

A Strained Alliance

The country for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have soured markedly after Trump came to office.

Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded following a historic peace agreement.

Colombia's Defiant Response

In response to a query if military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."

The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.

"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.

"If US bombs target civilians, they will transform into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which many of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the powerful force of the nation," Petro warned.

From Fighter to Leader

He passed a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.

"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he vowed.

Reinforced Protection and Broad Condemnation

The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.

Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, however, leaders from across the political spectrum have denounced the notion of a US attack against their nation.

Bilateral and Economic Pressure

Washington cancelled the president's entry visa after he urged US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and several associates.

Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.