Colombia's Leader Warns 'I Will Return to Arms Once More' if United States Intervenes Militarily.

The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions in their relations after US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He has narcotics facilities and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.

Rising Threats and Accusations

Addressing reporters over the weekend, the American leader suggested similar military action against Bogotá, stating the country is “very sick too” and “run by an unwell individual who likes making the drug and trafficking it to the US."

While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way connected to the trade.

A Frayed Relationship

Colombia for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, but relations have worsened dramatically since Trump assumed the presidency.

The nation's narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.

Petro's Defiant Response

Upon being questioned if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."

Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he stated.

"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed online.

"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture the president, whom many of the population loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.

From Guerrilla to Leader

Petro spent some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting a new constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.

"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he vowed.

Increased Security along with Cross-Political Condemnation

Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's security detail was strengthened.

Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from across the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of American military action on Colombia.

Diplomatic and Financial Pressure

American authorities revoked his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and a number of key allies.

At the same time as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.