Colombia’s leftist administration is reconsidering its stance on rejecting deportation flights from the United States following President Trump’s warning of significant economic and diplomatic repercussions.
On Sunday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared that the country would not accept deportation flights for Colombian nationals who had entered the United States unlawfully. He emphasized that “the United States cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals.”
In a post on X, Petro asserted his intention to “prohibit the entry of U.S. aircraft carrying Colombian migrants into our territory,” insisting that the U.S. “must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants prior to their arrival.”
In retaliation, President Trump announced the implementation of emergency tariffs of 25 percent on all Colombian imports to the United States, warning that this rate would escalate to 50 percent if the issue was not resolved within a week. Additionally, he stated that visas for Colombian government officials and their associates would be suspended, and the U.S. visa processing center in Bogotá would be closed.
Last year, Colombia exported approximately $14 billion worth of goods to the United States, with minerals, fuel, and coffee being the primary exports.
Within an hour of Trump’s threats, the Colombian government seemed to take them seriously, as Petro retracted his earlier statements. He confirmed that “the Government of Colombia will participate in the Extraordinary Assembly of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) on January 30. This meeting will serve as a platform to discuss strategic regional issues, including migration cooperation, human rights protection, and the enhancement of relations among member states,” according to an official statement.
Furthermore, the Colombian government committed to engaging with Central American neighbors, including Honduras, to refine their immigration strategy.
The Government of Colombia, led by President Gustavo Petro, has made the presidential aircraft available to ensure the respectful return of nationals who were scheduled to arrive in the country in the morning after being deported, as stated in an official announcement. This decision comes shortly after President Petro retracted his earlier comments, following President Trump’s retaliatory actions. The statement emphasized the government’s dedication to providing dignified conditions, asserting that Colombians, as patriots and holders of rights, have not been and will not be expelled from their homeland.
Furthermore, President Petro revealed plans to create a “Unified Command Post” focused on immigration, which will aim to establish and review protocols that guarantee the respectful treatment of deported Colombians, ensuring that all procedures uphold human rights and the dignity of each individual.
As of now, President Trump has not formally responded to Petro’s change in stance, although he did share a meme of himself wearing a fedora with the phrase “FAFO,” an acronym for “f**k around and find out.”
Last week, the Trump Administration initiated the use of military aircraft to repatriate recent border crossers to their countries of origin. On Thursday, the U.S. deported criminal illegal aliens to Guatemala using military planes.
Additionally, the U.S. is seeking Mexico’s cooperation in facilitating repatriation flights, although Mexico reportedly redirected a military deportation flight last week. President Trump has consistently threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on Mexican goods if the country does not take action to curb the influx of illegal immigrants into the United States.
