US President Donald Trump has ordered sweeping trade sanctions against Colombia, imposing tariffs of up to 50% in response to Bogotá’s refusal to accept deportation flights, triggering immediate retaliation from Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
Trump, back in office for less than a week, announced a 25% tariff on Colombian imports, with plans to escalate it to 50% within a week, reports the AFP.
His legal authority to enforce such measures remains uncertain, given Colombia’s free trade agreement with the United States.
In addition to the tariffs, Trump revoked visas for Colombian government officials and Petro’s supporters, while also tightening airport scrutiny for Colombian travellers.
“These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal obligations regarding the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the United States,” Trump declared on his Truth Social platform.
Petro swiftly responded by imposing a reciprocal 25% tariff on US imports, vowing that Colombia “will never be dominated” by Washington.
Deportation Standoff Escalates
The diplomatic rift stems from Trump’s aggressive push to expel undocumented migrants, a key promise of his return to the White House.
However, Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing leader, has refused to accept flights carrying deported Colombian nationals, arguing that his country’s migrants should not be treated as criminals.
"I forbid entry to our territory to US planes carrying Colombian migrants," Petro stated on X, later claiming that he had turned back US military aircraft. The Trump administration confirmed that two US planes carrying deportees had been denied landing rights.
Colombia, however, has offered an alternative, proposing to repatriate its citizens via the presidential plane to ensure their "dignified return.” Petro also expressed willingness to allow deportations via civilian flights, provided the migrants were not subjected to inhumane treatment.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Petro of authorising deportation flights only to revoke permission while the planes were airborne, exacerbating the diplomatic standoff.
The Colombian president, in turn, called upon the 15,600 undocumented Americans living in Colombia to legalise their status, while ruling out mass deportation raids.
Backlash and Political Ramifications
The diplomatic spat has sparked outrage among Petro’s domestic critics.
Former president Iván Duque lambasted the move as “an act of tremendous irresponsibility,” warning that US sanctions could have severe economic repercussions.
Trump’s hardline stance on deportations has also provoked backlash beyond Colombia, putting his administration at odds with several Latin American governments. Brazil condemned the treatment of dozens of deported citizens, who were allegedly restrained and denied water during their return flight.
Edgar Da Silva Moura, a Brazilian migrant recently deported from the US, described harrowing conditions aboard the flight: “We were tied hand and foot, denied bathroom access, and left in unbearable heat. Some people fainted.”
Since Trump’s return to office, several repatriation flights have made headlines, with his administration breaking from past protocol by deploying military aircraft for deportations, one of which landed in Guatemala this week.
Meanwhile, Latin American nations are bracing for further deportations. Mexico has announced plans to open nine shelters for returning citizens and three additional centres for deported foreigners under an initiative titled Mexico Embraces You.
Honduras, another major source of US-bound migrants, has introduced a reintegration programme, Brother, Come Home, offering financial aid, food, and employment support for returnees.
As Trump’s crackdown on immigration intensifies, the fallout from his policies continues to reverberate across Latin America, with Colombia now at the centre of an escalating economic and diplomatic confrontation.
