Petro had posted an announcement refusing to accept the flights on X early Sunday morning, saying, “The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory. The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”
On Sunday afternoon, the White House hit back. Trump posted to Truth Social that he would apply “Emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States [from Columbia]. In one week, the 25% tariffs will be raised to 50%.” Trump also imposed a travel ban and revoked the visas of Colombian government officials, their “Allies and Supporters” as well as of all party members, family members, and supporters of the Colombian government. He also called for “Enhanced Customs and Border Protection Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo on national security grounds, [a]s well as IEEPA Treasury, Banking and Financial Sanctions to be fully imposed.”
These measures, which Trump said were “just the beginning,” proved too much for Petro’s already unpopular government. Last week, Petro promoted his deputy finance minister to tackle the country’s severe fiscal crisis and avoid Colombia being “drowned” by global bond markets, making economic sanctions an untenable prospect. On Sunday afternoon, Petro posted a letter reversing his opposition and offering up the presidential plane to ferry deportees.
