Colombia's President Warns 'I Shall Return to Arms Again' if US Invades.

Donald Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions in their relations after American military units attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.

"He has drug factories and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.

Escalating Threats and Claims

Addressing reporters on Sunday, the US president threatened similar armed intervention against Colombia, stating Colombia faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and selling it to the United States."

Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally involved in the business.

A Strained Relationship

This nation was historically a close partner of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically since Trump was elected.

Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised after a landmark accord.

The President's Strong Answer

Upon being questioned whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."

Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he stated.

"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.

"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.

From Fighter to President

Petro spent a period in his early life as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.

"I swore not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he affirmed.

Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Opposition

Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.

Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, yet figures from across the ideological divide have condemned the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.

Bilateral and Financial Strains

American authorities withdrew his travel authorization after he encouraged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and several associates.

Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.