Colombia has agreed to accept migrants deported from the United States, the White House press secretary said in a statement on Sunday evening. Earlier, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced 25 percent tariffs on imports from the US. This was in response to the tariffs, visa restrictions and sanctions imposed on Colombia by President Donald Trump for refusing to accept deportation flights.
“Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump's conditions, including the unrestricted admission of all illegal Colombian immigrants deported from the United States,” the White House said in a statement on Sunday evening.
Response to Trump's steps
Formerly president Colombia responded to sanctions from the side USA. “I ordered the Minister of Foreign Trade to increase tariffs on imports from the US by 25 percent. The ministry should help direct our exports to the entire world except the US,” the Colombian president wrote earlier.
“The US authorities, in turn, suspended the granting of visas at the American embassy in Bogota in retaliation for Petro's decision not to accept deportation flights,” announced a spokesman for the Department of State, quoted by Reuters.
Until recently, Colombia was considered one of the main US allies in Latin America. Both countries cooperated closely, among other things, in the fight against drug producers and smugglers. However, relations have cooled since Petro, the first leftist president in the country's history, took power in Colombia in 2022.
Petro said on Sunday at
President of Colombia Gustavo PetroPAP/EPA
The president of Colombia published a video allegedly showing migrants being deported to Brazilleaving the plane with their hands and legs tied or shackled. “The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” he stressed.
Petro's office later announced that his presidential plane was at its disposal to ensure the “dignified return” to the country of citizens who were to be deported on Sunday by military planes.
Trump even threatened a 50 percent tariff
Trump announced on Sunday that because of authorities in Bogotá's opposition to deportation flights, he had ordered a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from Colombia and a wide range of financial sanctions against the country and Colombian officials and their families. The tariff was to increase to 50 percent within a week.
“These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal obligations to receive and return criminals it has forced into the United States!” – Trump threatened.
The AP agency emphasizes that Colombia is one of the few trading partners of the United States that buys more from them than it sells. Unlike countries such as Mexico Whether ChinaColombia has a trade deficit with the United States of about $1.4 billion, according to data from the American government.
According to data cited by Reuters, in 2023 the US trade surplus with Colombia was $1.6 billion. The U.S. imported crude oil, gold, coffee and cut roses from Colombia, and exported gasoline and other petrochemicals, aircraft, corn and soybeans to that country.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/YURI GRIPAS / POOL