Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, a former Marxist guerrilla and a vocal critic of the U.S. international coverage, has embarrassingly bowed to President Donald Trump’s strategic stress, making a drastic U-turn by sending the presidential aircraft to gather Colombian deportees beforehand barred from touchdown.
This transfer comes after Petro’s preliminary bravado in blocking two U.S. military deportation flights, a choice that sparked a fiery response from the Trump administration.
President Trump, in a attribute present of power, didn’t simply criticize Petro’s actions however retaliated closely by implementing extreme financial and journey sanctions towards Colombia.
The sanctions included an emergency imposition of a 25% tariff on all Colombian items, a determine that Trump threatened to double inside every week.
Trump launched a scathing rebuke on Truth Social:
“I used to be simply knowledgeable that two repatriation flights from the US, with a lot of Unlawful Criminals, weren’t allowed to land in Colombia. This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who’s already very unpopular amongst his folks. Petro’s denial of those flights has jeopardized the Nationwide Safety and Public Security of the US, so I’ve directed my Administration to right away take the next pressing and decisive retaliatory measures:
-Emergency 25% tariffs on all items coming into the US. In a single week, the 25% tariffs will probably be raised to 50%.
-A Journey Ban and instant Visa Revocations on the Colombian Authorities Officers, and all Allies and Supporters.
-Visa Sanctions on all Occasion Members, Household Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Authorities.
-Enhanced Customs and Border Safety Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo on nationwide safety grounds.
-IEEPA Treasury, Banking and Monetary Sanctions to be totally imposed.
These measures are just the start. We is not going to enable the Colombian Authorities to violate its authorized obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they compelled into the US!”
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After initially puffing his chest in defiance towards Trump, Petro has now determined to ship Colombia’s presidential aircraft to fetch deportees he beforehand didn’t wish to contact.
Dealing with the extreme financial and diplomatic penalties threatened by Trump’s administration, Petro’s authorities scrambled to mitigate the injury.
In a sudden reversal of coverage, the Colombian authorities introduced the dispatch of its presidential aircraft to facilitate the return of its residents, framing it as a dedication to ensure “dignified situations” for deportees.
The letter reads:
The Authorities of Colombia confirms its participation within the Extraordinary Meeting of the Neighborhood of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), scheduled for January 30. This assembly will probably be a possibility to deal with strategic points for the area, resembling cooperation on migration, the safety of human rights and the strengthening of relations between member international locations.
In preparation for this summit, talks have been held with Honduras, the nation that holds the presidency of CELAC, with a purpose to promote a regional strategy to migration challenges and assure dignified situations for residents of the area.
On the identical time, the Colombian Authorities, underneath the management of President Gustavo Petro, has organized for the presidential aircraft to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who have been to reach within the nation this morning from deportation flights. This measure responds to the Authorities’s dedication to ensure dignified situations. Under no circumstances have Colombians, as patriots and topics of rights, been or will probably be banished from Colombian territory.
Moreover, the Authorities has convened a Unified Command Submit (PMU) on migration, by which representatives of the Ombudsman’s Workplace, the Ministry of Overseas Affairs and the Presidency of the Republic will take part. This area goals to ascertain and overview protocols that make sure the dignified remedy of deported Colombians, guaranteeing that the procedures respect the human rights and integrity of every individual.
The Colombian Authorities can also be in lively discussions with the US Authorities, searching for agreements that guarantee minimal situations of respect and dignified remedy for compatriots throughout deportation processes, recognizing them as topics of rights.
Colombia reaffirms its dedication to defending its residents and can proceed to guide regional and worldwide efforts to seek out humane and honest options to migration challenges.
BREAKING: Colombia’s President simply issued a response to President Trump, folding sooner than a tenting tent.
“The Colombian Authorities, underneath the management of President Gustavo Petro, has organized for the presidential aircraft to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots… pic.twitter.com/ek5oSIHDqX
— George (@BehizyTweets) January 26, 2025
