Hardliners from Colombia’s ruling party have told the Telegraph that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro must be held accountable for harbouring FARC leaders who announced a return to arms, as the country's army killed nine rebels in a raid.

On Thursday, senior commanders from the leftist guerrilla group said they were breaking with the peace deal that saw all but a few dissident factions disarm in 2017, ending one of the world's longest conflicts.

The declaration from Iván Márquez and other high-level figures was allegedly made in a hideout inside Venezuela - reigniting long-running tensions over Caracas's support for the rebels.

Amid a months-long international standoff over Mr Maduro's leadership, the guerrillas' reactivation is now being cited as reason to remove him by force.

“Maduro offers shelter to those who want to bring harm to Colombia. A military intervention with the support of other countries from Latin America is the only solution,” said Senator María Fernanda Cabal, from the Right-wing Democratic Centre party of President Iván Duque.