In a significant escalation of U.S. foreign policy, President Donald Trump announced retaliatory measures against Colombia after President Gustavo Petro blocked two U.S. military flights carrying deported migrants.
On Sunday, January 26, Trump declared emergency 25% tariffs on all imports from Colombia, alongside a series of sanctions aimed at pressuring the country to cooperate with U.S. immigration policies.
The conflict began when Petro, who has been vocal about his stance on migration, refused to allow the two U.S. military flights to land in Colombia, despite prior approval for the flights.
Petro also called on the U.S. to establish better treatment protocols for migrants, although he left the possibility open for accepting deported individuals on civilian flights instead.
In response, Trump took to social media, issuing a series of punitive actions against Colombia. These included a travel ban for Colombian citizens, the revocation of visas for Colombian officials, and increased scrutiny of cargo shipments arriving from Colombia.
Trump further imposed banking and finance sanctions, targeting both Colombian government officials and their families.
“These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the United States!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The move marks the first major clash of Trump’s second term over immigration issues, as the U.S. government had been caught off guard by Colombia’s unexpected decision to reject the deportation flights.
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Documents reviewed by CNN indicated that the Colombian government had initially approved the flights before suddenly reversing its stance, a move that left U.S. officials frustrated.
In response, Petro called on U.S. citizens living in Colombia illegally to “regularize” their stay, signaling his more lenient approach to immigration matters.
He also offered to use his presidential plane to assist with the repatriation of U.S. deportees from Colombia.
