US President Donald Trump announced significant tariffs and sanctions against Colombia on Sunday. This move came after Colombia’s refusal to accept deportation flights carrying migrants from the United States. The decision marks a major escalation in Trump’s immigration crackdown, signalling a shift in US relations with one of its key allies in Latin America.
Trump’s announcement highlighted that the sanctions and tariffs were only the beginning. He warned that the US would not allow Colombia to fail in its legal obligations regarding the deportation of criminals. The US has been facing increasing pushback from Latin American countries over its tough stance on immigration. However, Trump made it clear that he intended to push forward with measures to force Colombia to comply.
Also read: Colombia changes mind on US deportations after Trump’s warning
As part of the sanctions, Trump said that visas for Colombian government officials and supporters of Colombian President Gustavo Petro would be revoked.
He also introduced stricter scrutiny of Colombian nationals arriving at US airports. The tariffs, which remain to be detailed, are expected to impact Colombia’s economy, which relies heavily on trade with the US.
The tension between the two countries began when President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022 as Colombia’s first left-wing president, refused to accept deportation flights. Petro’s government had raised concerns over how deported migrants were being treated. Earlier on Sunday, Petro stated that Colombia would not accept flights carrying migrants unless the US established a protocol to ensure the deportees were treated with dignity.
In posts on social media platform X, Petro condemned the treatment of Colombian migrants as criminals. He also confirmed that Colombia had denied two US military planes landing rights. Petro called on the US to cease deportations unless it agreed to ensure the humane treatment of deportees. Colombia offered to send its own presidential plane to transport deported migrants, but with conditions that the migrants not be treated in a “criminal” manner.
In a further statement, Petro revealed that there were more than 15,600 undocumented Americans living in Colombia. However, he ruled out any plans to carry out raids to detain or deport them. Instead, Petro encouraged these individuals to regularise their status in Colombia. His government’s stance reflects a significant shift from previous administrations, which were more willing to cooperate with the US on immigration enforcement.
The standoff comes just days before US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Latin America. However, Rubio’s itinerary notably excludes both Colombia and Mexico, both of which have criticised the US approach to deportation. Mexico has been particularly vocal about the use of military planes for deportation purposes, adding another layer of tension to the growing dispute.
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