Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs and sanctions against Colombia in response to its refusal to accept deportation flights, intensifying his immigration crackdown amid tensions with Latin America.
Trump declared the implementation of a 25 percent tariff on all Colombian imports, set to increase to 50 percent within a week. Additionally, he ordered the immediate revocation of visas for Colombian government officials and supporters of President Gustavo Petro while subjecting Colombian travelers to stricter airport scrutiny.
“These actions are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian government to disregard its legal obligations regarding the acceptance and return of criminals forced into the United States,” Trump stated on his social media platform.
Colombia, a long-standing U.S. ally with a free trade agreement, rejected Trump’s measures. President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing leader, announced on social media that U.S. planes carrying Colombian migrants would not be allowed to land.
Petro offered to use the Colombian presidential plane to transport migrants with dignity, emphasizing that he would only permit civilian flights carrying deported individuals, provided they were not treated as criminals. Petro also highlighted the presence of over 15,600 undocumented Americans living in Colombia, urging them to regularize their status while rejecting mass arrests and deportations.
In response to Trump’s actions, Petro instructed Colombia’s foreign trade minister to impose a 25 percent tariff on U.S. imports, signaling a retaliatory stance amid escalating tensions between the two nations.
