US President Donald Trump enacted emergency tariffs and other retaliatory measures against Colombia after its President, Gustavo Petro, blocked two US military aircraft carrying deported Colombians from landing in his country.
Trump responded angrily in his Truth Social network post when he was informed that two repatriation flights from the US to Colombia had been denied landing clearance.
Trump wrote that the flights had “a large number of illegal criminals” and accused Petro of jeopardizing US national security and public safety and directed his administration to “take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures”.
International media outlets, including The Guardian and Reuters, reported that the measures included doubling tariffs on Colombian exports to the US to 50%; a ban and visa revocations on the Colombian government officials “and all allies and supporters”, and enhanced inspections of all Colombian nationals and cargo entering the US.
“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump added. “We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations about the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the United States”
In response, Petro ordered increased import tariffs on goods from the US. Petro, in a post on X, said he ordered the “foreign trade minister to raise import tariffs from the U.S. by 25%”.
“American products whose price will rise within the national economy must be replaced by national production, and the government will help in this regard,” the post continued. The US is Colombia’s largest trading partner, with crude petroleum and coffee exports.
He added: “I cannot force migrants to remain in a country that does not want them. But if that country returns them, it must be with dignity and respect – for both them and our nation. In civilian planes, and without treating them like criminals, we will welcome our compatriots. Colombia deserves respect,” wrote the president.
In an earlier post, Petro had already written: “The US must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we accept their return.”
