By REGINA GARCIA CANO and ASTRID SUÁREZ
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump stated Sunday that he was ordering tariffs, visa restrictions and different retaliatory measures to be taken towards Colombia after its authorities rejected two U.S. army flights carrying migrants.
Trump stated the measures have been crucial, as a result of the choice of Colombian President Gustavo Petro “jeopardized” nationwide safety within the U.S.
“These measures are just the start,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Fact Social. “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 USA.”
Earlier Sunday, Petro stated that his authorities wouldn’t settle for flights carrying migrants deported from the U.S. till the Trump administration creates a protocol that treats them with “dignity.” Petro made the announcement in two X posts, one in every of which included a information video of migrants reportedly deported to Brazil strolling on a tarmac with restraints on their palms and ft.
“A migrant will not be a legal and should be handled with the dignity {that a} human being deserves,” Petro stated. “That’s the reason I returned the U.S. army planes that have been carrying Colombian migrants… In civilian planes, with out being handled like criminals, we are going to obtain our fellow residents.”
Colombia accepted 475 deportation flights from the USA from 2020 to 2024, fifth behind Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador, in line with Witness on the Border, an advocacy group that tracks flight knowledge. It accepted 124 deportation flights in 2024.
Final 12 months, Colombia and different nations started accepting U.S.-funded deportation flights from Panama.
The U.S. authorities didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from The Related Press relating to plane and protocols utilized in deportations to Colombia.
No official order had been issued as of Sunday afternoon that might enable for the implementation of the measures Trump introduced.
“This can be a clear message we’re sending that nations have an obligation to simply accept repatriation flights,” a senior administration official instructed the AP. The official spoke on the situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed to debate concern publicly.
Colombians emerged in recent times as a serious presence on the U.S. border with Mexico, aided partially by a visa regime that enables them to simply fly to Mexico and keep away from trekking although the treacherous Darien Hole. They ranked fourth with 127,604 arrests for unlawful crossings throughout a 12-month interval by September, behind Mexicans, Guatemalans and Venezuelans.
Mexico hasn’t imposed visa restrictions on Colombians, as they’ve on Venezuelans, Ecuadoreans and Peruvians.
The federal government of Petro, a former leftist guerrilla, in an announcement later introduced that the South American nation’s presidential plane had been made out there to facilitate the return of migrants who have been to reach hours earlier on the U.S. army airplanes and assure them “dignified situations.”
As a part of a flurry of actions to make good on Trump’s marketing campaign guarantees to crack down on unlawful immigration, his authorities is utilizing active-duty army to assist safe the border and perform deportations.
Two U.S. Air Drive C-17 cargo planes carrying migrants faraway from the U.S. touched down early Friday in Guatemala. That very same day, Honduras acquired two deportation flights carrying a complete of 193 individuals.
In saying what he referred to as “pressing and decisive retaliatory measures,” Trump defined that he ordered “25% tariffs on all items coming into the USA,” which might be raised to 50% in a single week. He stated he additionally ordered “A Journey Ban and fast Visa Revocations” on Colombian authorities officers, allies and supporters.
“All Celebration Members, Household Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Authorities,” Trump wrote shall be topic to “Visa Sanctions.” He didn’t say to which occasion he was referring to or present any further particulars on the visa and journey restrictions.
Trump added that each one Colombians will face enhanced customs inspections.
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Regina Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela. Jill Colvin in New York and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.
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