Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, a former Marxist guerrilla and a vocal critic of the U.S. foreign policy, has embarrassingly bowed to President Donald Trump’s strategic pressure, making a drastic U-turn by sending the presidential plane to collect Colombian deportees previously barred from landing.
This move comes after Petro’s initial bravado in blocking two U.S. military deportation flights, a decision that sparked a fiery response from the Trump administration.
President Trump, in a characteristic show of force, didn’t just criticize Petro’s actions but retaliated heavily by implementing severe economic and travel sanctions against Colombia.
The sanctions included an emergency imposition of a 25% tariff on all Colombian goods, a figure that Trump threatened to double within a week.
Trump released a scathing rebuke on Truth Social:
“I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia. This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people. Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures:
-Emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States. In one week, the 25% tariffs will be raised to 50%.
-A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters.
-Visa Sanctions on all Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government.
-Enhanced Customs and Border Protection Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo on national security grounds.
-IEEPA Treasury, Banking and Financial Sanctions to be fully imposed.
These measures are just the beginning. 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!”
Read more:
After initially puffing his chest in defiance against Trump, Petro has now decided to send Colombia’s presidential plane to fetch deportees he previously didn’t want to touch.
Facing the severe economic and diplomatic consequences threatened by Trump’s administration, Petro’s government scrambled to mitigate the damage.
In a sudden reversal of policy, the Colombian government announced the dispatch of its presidential plane to facilitate the return of its citizens, framing it as a commitment to guarantee “dignified conditions” for deportees.
The letter reads:
The Government of Colombia confirms its participation in the Extraordinary Assembly of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), scheduled for January 30. This meeting will be an opportunity to address strategic issues for the region, such as cooperation on migration, the protection of human rights and the strengthening of relations between member countries.
In preparation for this summit, talks have been held with Honduras, the country that holds the presidency of CELAC, in order to promote a regional approach to migration challenges and guarantee dignified conditions for citizens of the region.
At the same time, the Colombian Government, under the leadership of President Gustavo Petro, has arranged for the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who were to arrive in the country this morning from deportation flights. This measure responds to the Government’s commitment to guarantee dignified conditions. In no way have Colombians, as patriots and subjects of rights, been or will be banished from Colombian territory.
Additionally, the Government has convened a Unified Command Post (PMU) on migration, in which representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidency of the Republic will participate. This space aims to establish and review protocols that ensure the dignified treatment of deported Colombians, guaranteeing that the procedures respect the human rights and integrity of each person.
The Colombian Government is also in active discussions with the United States Government, seeking agreements that ensure minimum conditions of respect and dignified treatment for compatriots during deportation processes, recognizing them as subjects of rights.
Colombia reaffirms its commitment to protecting its citizens and will continue to lead regional and international efforts to find humane and fair solutions to migration challenges.
BREAKING: Colombia’s President just issued a response to President Trump, folding faster than a camping tent.
“The Colombian Government, under the leadership of President Gustavo Petro, has arranged for the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots… pic.twitter.com/ek5oSIHDqX
— George (@BehizyTweets) January 26, 2025
The post UPDATE: Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro Caves to Trump’s Strategic Pressure — Orders Plane to Scoop Up Deportees in a Desperate Bid to Save Face appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.