Trump’s Sanction Threat Forces Colombian President Petro to Reverse Block on Deportation Flights

Donald Trump has just made a fiery move after Colombia blocked two U.S. military flights carrying deported migrants.

Since the blockage occurred, Trump has issued warnings of severe repercussions that include tariffs, sanctions, and a travel ban.

“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,” Trump stated. “This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people.”

As a result, Trump announced plans to enforce an “emergency 25% tariff” on all Colombian imports to the United States, threatening to increase it to 50% within a week. Additionally, he also called for harsh measures including visa sanctions on Colombian officials, enhanced inspections of Colombian nationals at U.S. borders, and financial sanctions.

“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump continued. “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!”

Trump’s heated words follow Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially blocking the arrival of the military jets. After the threats, Petro acknowledged that Colombia would accept the deported citizens but criticized the usage of military flights and called out the treatment of the deportees. Petro even offered his own presidential plane to transport some of the migrants coming back from the United States, though he is still not pleased with Trump’s actions.

“A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that a human being deserves,” Petro said. “That is why I returned the U.S. military planes that were carrying Colombian migrants.”

He added, “We will receive our fellow citizens on civilian planes, without treating them like criminals.”

Nonetheless, Trump’s tariff and sanctions, if enacted, could escalate tension between the two countries, especially with Colombia being a key trade partner. A 25% tariff and even a 50% tariff could potentially disrupt the flow of goods such as coffee, flowers, and textiles, which make up significant exports from Colombia to the U.S.