President Petro's halt to repatriations and the tycoon's reaction who orders immediate sanctions
Standoff between the United States and Colombia. US President Donald Trump said he had ordered his administration to impose a series of 25% tariffs and sanctions on Colombia, after the country rejected a US military flight carrying migrants for repatriation, until the migrants are guaranteed "dignified treatment". After a few hours, however, an agreement was reached for the repatriation of Colombian citizens and the suspension of tariff increases and most sanctions.
Following Trump's announcement, Bogota responded by ordering the imposition of 25% customs duties on imports from the United States.
What Does the Trump-Petro Deal on Immigration Include?
The government of Colombia "has accepted all the terms" set by the Trump administration, "including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal immigrants from Colombia repatriated from the United States, including via U.S. military aircraft, without limitations or delays." This is according to a statement released by the White House, which on this basis confirmed the suspension of "the tariffs and sanctions" already prepared by the presidential administration, which "will be held in reserve and not signed , unless Colombia complies with the agreement." The visa sanctions issued by the U.S. State Department and the enhanced controls by the Customs and Border Protection Agency, however, "will remain in effect until the first flight of Colombian repatriates is successfully completed."
Petro: "The US should not treat Colombian migrants like criminals"
"The United States cannot treat Colombian migrants like criminals," Colombian President Gustavo Petro had previously written in X, before announcing that he had "rejected incoming US military planes with Colombian migrants," without saying when or how many flights were involved. According to Colombian media, two planes with a total of 160 Colombians on board were denied entry.
Bogota to send presidential plane for repatriations
Petro had also already stated that he would allow the entry of US civilian flights with deported migrants, as long as they were not treated "like criminals". The Colombian leader has in fact asked for a protocol that guarantees respect for human rights before accepting any repatriation from the US. In the meantime, Petro himself has made his presidential flight available for the repatriation of his compatriots from the US, after having argued about the fact that in Colombia too "there are 15,666 irregular Americans". However, "if they want they can stay in Colombia" because we "are the opposite of Nazis", attacked the leader of Bogota.
Visa Section of US Embassy in Bogota Closed
During the tug-of-war between the two countries, the American response to Colombian moves was not long in coming. First with the State Department's decision - reported to the Colombian magazine Semana - to close the visa section of the United States embassy in Bogota. Then, with the intervention of Donald Trump himself, who had entrusted his social Truth with a list of retaliatory measures, accusing "the socialist president Petro" of having "jeopardized the national security and public safety of the United States" by refusing entry to two US flights "with a large number of illegal criminals".
25% tariffs and other retaliations announced before the agreement
Among the measures announced before the agreement was reached, the US had spoken of 25% duties that would rise to 50% in a week, in addition to the entry ban and revocation of visas for all Colombian government officials, their allies and supporters, strengthened customs and border protection inspections of all Colombian citizens and goods for reasons of national security, treasury, banking and financial sanctions. "These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal obligations," the tycoon thundered, igniting the latest chapter in the clash between Washington and left-wing governments in Latin America.
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