Washington, Jan 27, (V7N) — President Donald Trump announced new tariffs and visa restrictions on Colombia on Sunday after Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused to allow U.S. military flights to deport Colombian migrants. This sparked a trade dispute, with both leaders imposing retaliatory measures.

Petro accused the Trump administration of treating Colombian migrants "like criminals," citing images of handcuffed detainees. He stated that Colombia would not accept U.S. deportation flights unless migrants were treated with dignity.

In response to two repatriation flights being denied landing in Colombia, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. from Colombia. He warned that the tariff would increase to 50% after one week. Trump also announced the revocation of visas for Colombian officials and supporters, imposed a travel ban, and vowed financial sanctions on Colombia. Additionally, he ordered enhanced customs inspections of Colombian nationals and cargo for national security reasons.

“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the United States!”

In response, Petro said that Colombia would provide a presidential plane for the "dignified return" of migrants facing deportation from the U.S. He ordered his trade minister to impose a 25% tariff on U.S. goods entering Colombia.

Trump's actions align with his promise to take a hard stance on deportations. During his first week in office, he declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and sent U.S. troops to assist in deportations. These efforts have resulted in migrants being sent back to their home countries in handcuffs.

Petro's actions were triggered by a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) where he criticized the U.S. treatment of Colombian migrants. He stated that the U.S. should establish a protocol to ensure the dignified treatment of migrants before Colombia would accept them.

The U.S. imports significant goods from Colombia, including crude oil, coffee, and cut flowers. Trump has previously discussed using tariffs to leverage foreign policy with countries such as Mexico, Canada, and China.

Several Latin American countries have opposed Trump’s militarized deportation policies. Brazil condemned the conditions under which deportees were returned, and last week, Mexico refused to accept a U.S. deportation flight for the first time in decades.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the deportation policy, stating that it is the responsibility of each nation to take back its citizens who are illegally in the U.S. Rubio emphasized that the U.S. would not tolerate any delays or refusals in deportations.

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