Colombian President Declares 'I Would Take Up Arms Once More' should United States Invades.

The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the volume of their exchange, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.

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

Escalating Tensions and Allegations

Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader suggested analogous armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to the United States."

Although Colombia stands as the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the business.

A Strained Alliance

The country has long been a key ally of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened markedly since Trump was elected.

Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.

The President's Defiant Response

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

The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a narco," he declared.

"The US president speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.

"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture me, which many of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.

From Guerrilla to Leader

He passed part of his youth as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing a new constitution in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He served as mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.

"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but in defense of my country I would take up the fight," he affirmed.

Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Opposition

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

Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of a US attack against their nation.

Diplomatic and Economic Pressure

Washington revoked his travel authorization after he called on American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. In October, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and a number of key allies.

Simultaneously the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.