Bogota will dispatch a presidential plane to pick up migrants slated for deportation from the US
Colombia has bowed to pressure from Washington, reversing its decision to bar flights carrying deported illegal migrants from landing in the country.
On Sunday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that he will turn away American military aircraft full of deportees unless the US sets up “a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants.” US President Donald Trump quickly reacted by imposing tariffs on Colombian goods and visa restrictions on Colombian officials.
Bogota announced later on Sunday that Petro’s presidential plane would be sent to pick up Colombian nationals slated for deportation. “The government of Colombia, under the direction of President Gustavo Petro, has arranged for the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of Colombia nationals who were to arrive in the country today in the morning hours, coming in from deportation flights,” Petro’s office said in a statement.
“Colombians, as patriots and rightful subjects, were not and will not be banished from Colombian territory,” the statement said.
In a lengthy post on X on Monday, Petro condemned the coercion from Washington. “You can use your economic power and arrogance to attempt to stage a coup d’etat, like you did with Allende,” the president wrote, referring to the CIA-backed 1973 military coup in Chile, which ended with the death of democratically elected President Salvador Allende.
“But I will die standing by my principles. I’ve endured torture, and I will endure you,” Petro warned. “You will never dominate us.” He promised to impose tariffs on American goods in response to the economic restrictions from the US.
Trump, who was sworn in on January 20, has made the fight against illegal immigration one of the key issues of his election campaign. Shortly after taking office, he declared an emergency at the border and deployed additional active-duty soldiers to assist border agents. He also promised to ramp up deportations.
