Donald Trump slapped emergency tariffs and other retaliatory measures after Colombian President Gustavo Petro blocked two US military planes transporting deported Colombians from landing in his nation.
In a post on his Truth Social network, the US president expressed his outrage over the denial of landing clearance for two repatriation aircraft from the US to Colombia.
Trump claimed that the flights were carrying a lot of illegal criminals and that Gustavo Petro, the socialist president of Colombia, who was already very unpopular with his people, was the one who issued the landing-denial order.
He ordered his administration to take the following immediate and forceful retaliatory actions after accusing Petro of jeopardizing US public safety and national security.
Increased inspections of all Colombian persons and cargo entering the US on national security grounds, tripling tariffs on Colombian exports to the US to 50%, and prohibiting and revoked visas for Colombian government officials, allies, and supporters are among the measures.
Trump went on to say that these actions are only the start. Regarding the reception and repatriation of the criminals they pushed into the United States, we will not permit the Colombian government to flout its legal duties!
In retaliation for Donald Trump’s declaration of tariffs on Colombia and sanctions on Colombian government officials, Petro raised import duties on US commodities.
In a post on Twitter/X, Petro claimed to have given the foreign trade minister instructions to increase U.S. import taxes by 25%.
The directive from the external trade minister is to increase imports from the EU by 25%.
In contrast to the EEUU, the minister must help guide our exports to every country in the world. We need to increase our exports. Greetings to all communitiesi8HSpRBxth https://t.co/it
January 26, 2025, Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo)
According to the article, the government would assist in replacing American goods whose prices will increase within the national economy with domestic manufacture. Colombia’s biggest trading partner is the United States, with which it exports cut flowers, coffee, and crude petroleum.
The two leaders’ conversation was a reflection of growing hostilities over US deportation flights between Washington and the central and southern US administrations. According to US sources quoted by Reuters and NBC News, Mexico reportedly declined to host a similar flight on Saturday.
The socialist leader of Colombia stated in an early Sunday Twitter/X post: A migrant is not a criminal and needs to be handled with the respect that all people are entitled to.
Petro posted a video of Brazilian deportees who were flown out of the United States on Friday, shackled at the wrists and ankles, along with the caption, “That is why I ordered the return of US military planes carrying Colombian migrants.”
“I cannot force migrants to remain in a country that does not want them,” he continued. If that nation does repatriate them, though, it must do so with respect and decency for both our country and them. Without treating them like criminals, we shall greet our countrymen on civilian aircraft. The president wrote that Colombia is deserving of respect.
In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the leader of Colombia of rescinding the flight authorizations. According to the announcement, Colombian President Petro had approved flights and given all required permissions, but he revoked his approval after the aircraft were in the air.
America will never longer be deceived or used under President Trump’s leadership, he has stated.
Petro had previously said in a post that before we welcome the repatriation of migrants, the US needs to set up a procedure for their respectful treatment.
The presidential plane will be used to transport migrants who were supposed to come on military aircraft, according to a prior statement from Petro’s office.
As the US president’s administration starts preparing for mass deportations, Petro’s comments add to the increasing chorus of dissatisfaction in Latin America.
The first diplomatic conflict between Trump’s new administration and Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, the leftist president of Brazil, began when a plane carrying 88 deported Brazilians landed in Brazil.
Belo Horizonte, in southeast Brazil, was the destination of the Friday departure from Alexandria, Louisiana. It did, however, make unplanned stops in Panama and Manaus, northern Brazil, because of technical difficulties.
According to reports, the Brazilian government stepped in and sent an air force plane to finish the last leg without handcuffs or leg irons after US officials tried to continue the trip. At approximately nine o’clock on Saturday evening, the deportees reached Belo Horizonte.
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Brazil’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement on Sunday that it would formally ask the US administration for clarification over the degrading treatment of the deportees, including six youngsters who were allegedly not shackled.
Since the first Trump administration inked a deal with Brazil in 2017, such deportation flights have been occurring. Deportees were transported from Alexandria to Belo Horizonte on 17 flights in the past year alone.
But according to the Brazilian government, the use of leg irons and handcuffs goes against the provisions of the deal with the US, which calls for treating deportees with dignity, respect, and humanity.
Upon their arrival, deportees informed Brazilian media that US officials had threatened and physically attacked them during the journey.
The Trump administration is enforcing a new set of stringent measures to speed up deportations, according to an official Department of Homeland Security memo that the New York Times was able to get. Officers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are given extensive latitude to expedite removals under the instruction.
Requests for comment were not immediately answered by representatives of the US Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Pentagon, or the State Department.
The Pentagon’s response to President Trump’s immigration-related national emergency declaration on Monday includes using US military planes to conduct deportation missions.
In the past, such as when the US withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, people were transported between nations using US military aircraft.
According to one US source, this is the first time in recent memory that US military planes have been used to fly migrants out of the nation.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.