Colombia agrees to take deported migrants after a confrontation of the Trump rate

Bogota, Colombia (AP) – The White House claimed the victory in a confrontation with Colombia for accepting the flights of deported immigrants from the United States on Sunday, hours after President Donald Trump threatened tariffs pronounced in imports and other sanctions to The former American partner.

Long partners in anti -narcotics efforts, the United States and Colombia faced Sunday for the deportation of migrants and tariffs imposed on the assets of others in a show of what other countries could face if they intervene in the Trump administration offensive Against illegal immigration. The White House kept the episode as a warning to other nations that could try to prevent their plans.

Previously, the president of the United States had ordered visa restrictions, 25% of tariff American military aircraft with United to Colombia that transport migrants.

Trump said the measures were necessary because Petro’s decision “endangers national security in the United States

“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump wrote on his social network social network. “We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal obligations regarding the acceptance and return of criminals that forced the United States.”

Later on Sunday, the Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, announced that he was authorizing visa restrictions to Colombian government officials and their families “who were responsible for the interference of US repatriation flight operations” . They were being imposed at the top of the State Department movement to suspend visa processing at the United States Embassy in the capital of Colombia, Bogotá.

The restrictions will continue, said Rubio, “until Colombia fulfills its obligations to accept the return of their own citizens.”

Early on the day, Petro said that his government would not accept flights that transport deported migrants from the United States until the Trump administration creates a protocol that treats them with “dignity.” Petro made the announcement in two X publications, one of which included a video of news of deported migrants deported to Brazil walking on an asphalt with restrictions on his hands and feet.

“A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that a human being deserves,” Petro said. “That is why I returned the US military planes that carried Colombian migrants … in civil planes, without being treated as criminals, we will receive our fellow citizens.”

After Trump’s announcement, Petro said in an X position that he had ordered the “Minister of Foreign Trade that raised the import rates of the USA. UU. In 25%.”

Colombia has traditionally been the best ally of the United States in Latin America. But his relationship has been tensioned since Petro, a former guerrilla, became Colombia’s first leftist president in 2022 and sought distance from the United States.

Colombia accepted 475 deportation flights from the United States from 2020 to 2024, fifth behind Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador, according to witnesses of the border, a defense group that tracks the flight data. He accepted 124 deportation flights in 2024.

Colombia is also among the countries that last year began accepting deportation flights financed by the United States from Panama.

The United States government did not immediately respond to a request for comments from Associated Press on aircraft and protocols used in deportations to Colombia.

“This is a clear message that we are sending that countries have the obligation to accept repatriation flights,” said a senior administration official to AP. The official spoke about anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the issue.

Rubio in a statement said Petro “canceled his authorization” for flights when the plane was in the air.

Colombians emerged in recent years as an important presence on the American border with Mexico, partially helped by a visa regime that allows them to easily fly to Mexico and avoid trekking through Darien’s treacherous gap. They occupied the fourth place with 127,604 arrests for illegal crosses for a period of 12 months until September, behind Mexicans, Guatemalans and Venezuelans.

Mexico has not imposed visa restrictions on Colombians, as Venezuelans, Ecuadorians and Peruvians have done.

The Petro government, in a statement, then announced that the presidential planes of the South American country had made available to facilitate the return of migrants who were going to arrive hours before in US military planes and guaranteed “dignified conditions.”

As part of a large number of actions to fulfill the Trump campaign, it promises to take energetic measures against illegal immigration, its government is using active duty military to help ensure the border and carry out deportations.

Two C-17 load aircraft of the United States Air Force that transport retired migrants from the USA. They continued early Friday in Guatemala. That same day, Honduras received two deportation flights with a total of 193 people.

By announcing what he called “urgent and decisive retaliation measures,” Trump explained that he ordered tariffs and “a prohibition of travel prohibition and immediate visas revocations” on officials, allies and followers of the Colombian government.

“All party members, family members and supporters of the Colombian government,” Trump wrote will be subject to “visa sanctions.” AA did not say which part referred or provided additional details about visa and trip restrictions.

Trump added that all Colombians will face improved customs inspections.

Trump’s actions seem to undermine their goal of reducing the commercial deficit of their country. Unlike Mexico or China, Colombia is one of the few countries with a commercial deficit with the United States, of around $ 1.4 billion, according to commercial data in the United States.

Colombia is the second largest corn and corn food buyer in the United States, according to the US Grown Council more than $ 733 million last year.

The United States export rise has been promoted by a two -decades free trade agreement between the two countries, which for a long time have been close partners in the war on drugs. It is not clear if Trump tariffs are allowed under the agreement, which contains a dispute mechanism to resolve commercial fights.

Colombia is the fourth largest crude oil supplier in the United States, sending around 209,000 barrels of oil per day last year, although the booming national production has reduced dependence on the United States of foreign oil. The South American country is also the largest supplier of newly cut flowers in the United States.