in United States, Colombia

Trump and Petro’s Strong Clash Over Deportations of 200 Colombians

This Sunday, January 26, President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced tariff sanctions against all Colombian products after Colombian President Gustavo Petro rejected two flights from the U.S. carrying deported Colombians. Trump argued on his social media platform Truth Social that “Petro’s refusal to receive these flights jeopardizes the national and public security of the United States.”

Trump imposes tariffs and strengthens security

In response, Trump ordered a 25% tariff on Colombian products, with the warning that this percentage would increase to 50% in one week. Additionally, the Trump administration stated that it would strengthen customs inspections and border security, especially regarding Colombian products and people coming from Colombia. In his post, Trump also referred to Petro as “the socialist president,” noting that he is “very unpopular among his people.”

Petro responds with similar measures

In his response, President Petro also reacted firmly. In an extended message, he commented: “I’m informed that you are imposing a 50% tariff on our human labor product to enter the U.S., I will do the same.”

This exchange of statements escalated tensions between the two countries, leading the White House to announce by the end of Sunday, January 26, that Colombia would accept all terms imposed by Trump regarding the deportation of migrants on planes.

The Colombian Government stands firm in defending its rights

However, the official stance of the Colombian government, led by Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo, did not align with the White House’s position. Murillo announced that he would travel to Washington, and that in defense of the rights of the deported Colombian citizens, the presidential plane would be used, as previously indicated by President Petro.

The previous Friday, the U.S. government had announced the start of deportations of undocumented migrants to their countries of origin, something Petro rejected, considering that the deported people were not receiving “dignified treatment.” Trump, for his part, defended the deportations, stating that among the deported, there were “a large number of criminals.”

Other sanctions and pressure measures

Trump also ordered a “travel ban” and immediate visa revocation for Colombian government officials and their allies. Additionally, members of Petro’s political party, Colombia Humana, would face similar sanctions. Although Trump did not mention the closure of the visa section at the U.S. embassy in Colombia, some local media outlets, such as El Tiempo, reported that the embassy might close this section in the coming hours.

Trump ended his message by saying that these measures were only the beginning and stated: “We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal obligations regarding the acceptance and return of the criminals who forced their way into the United States!”

The root of the conflict: flights and treatment of migrants

The conflict arose due to Petro’s refusal to allow U.S. planes carrying deported Colombians to land. The Colombian president expressed on his X account that “the U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals” and made the decision to cancel authorization for the flights, insisting that a “dignified treatment protocol” should be established for the deported. Petro emphasized that “a migrant is not a criminal and should be treated with the dignity that a human being deserves.”

In contrast, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported Trump’s decision, stating that Petro had canceled the authorization for the flights when they were already in the air, despite having granted it previously. Rubio stated that under the Trump administration, the U.S. would not tolerate “lies or abuses.”

Petro offers the presidential plane for deportees

In response to the U.S. decisions, President Petro offered the presidential plane to ensure a “dignified return” for the deported Colombians. In a statement, Petro expressed that Colombians would not be “exiled” from the national territory and that his government would guarantee dignified conditions for their return. Additionally, Petro called for a meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to address the migration crisis.

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