A potential trade war between the United States and Colombia seems to have been avoided after a diplomatic standoff over deportation flights was quickly resolved. The dispute began when Colombian President Gustavo Petro blocked two US military planes carrying deported Colombian nationals, citing concerns over the treatment of migrants on board.
Petro’s refusal sparked an immediate reaction from former President Donald Trump, who took to Truth Social to threaten a 25% tariff on all Colombian goods, escalating to 50% if Colombia did not reverse its position within a week. Trump also announced a travel ban and visa revocations for Colombian officials and their allies. In response, President Petro vowed to impose retaliatory tariffs.
The threat of tariffs, which could have severely disrupted trade – valued at $53.5 billion in 2022 – sparked intense diplomatic negotiations. Colombia’s Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo announced that the impasse had been resolved and Colombia would accept the deported citizens. While the details of the agreement remain unclear, the White House confirmed that Colombia had agreed to accept deportees without delay, including those arriving on US military aircraft.
The White House hailed the resolution as a victory, noting that the threatened tariffs would remain on standby unless Colombia failed to uphold the agreement. However, US visa restrictions on Colombian officials would remain in place until the first deportation flight landed. Additionally, heightened scrutiny was implemented for Colombians arriving at US airports. Colombian officials are set to travel to Washington soon for further high-level talks.
