Washington, Jan 27 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has announced a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Colombia in retaliation against the country’s refusal to allow two deportation flights carrying immigrants to land.
Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “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.”
He criticised Colombian President Gustavo Petro, stating that the rejection of these flights has “jeopardised the National Security and Public Safety of the United States.”
Trump directed his administration to take immediate and decisive retaliatory measures.
These measures include imposing an emergency 25 per cent tariff on all goods imported from Colombia, with a further increase to 50 per cent within a week if the situation remains unresolved.
Additional actions include a travel ban and immediate visa revocations for Colombian government officials, their allies, and supporters, along with visa sanctions on members of Petro’s party, their families, and associates.
Enhanced customs and border inspections for Colombian nationals and cargo on national security grounds, as well as sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), were also announced.
Earlier on Sunday, Petro had taken to the social media platform X, declaring that his government would not accept deportation flights from the US unless the Trump administration established a protocol ensuring dignified treatment of migrants.
Petro further urged the US to use civilian planes instead of military aircraft for these operations.
Following Trump’s tariff announcement, Petro responded on X by instructing his foreign trade minister to impose a reciprocal 25 per cent tariff on US imports.
The issue adds to a growing list of international resistance to US deportation flights. Just days ago, the United States sent four deportation flights to Mexico, with reports suggesting that at least one flight was refused entry.
Similarly, deportation flights to Guatemala and Brazil have also faced criticism. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry recently condemned the practice, alleging that the deported immigrants were subjected to degrading treatment.
During his recent presidential campaign, Trump had vowed to carry out large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants upon taking office.
Following his inauguration on January 20, deportation operations began across various regions of the US, reportedly targeting those with criminal records. According to the White House, over 1,000 undocumented immigrants were apprehended on Thursday and Friday, with hundreds deported via military aircraft.
Between 2020 and 2024, Colombia had accepted 475 deportation flights from the US, including 124 flights in 2024 alone, as per some media local reports.
–IANS
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