On Sunday, hours after President Donald Trump threatened to impose severe taxes on those who disobeyed his plans for mass deportations, Colombia gave in and agreed to take in deported nationals who were transported by US military planes.
Gustavo Petro, the left-leaning president of Colombia, had previously declared that he would only return citizens “with dignity,” such as on civilian aircraft, and he had turned back two US military flights carrying Colombians who had been repatriated.
Less than a week after taking office, Trump reacted angrily, threatening to impose 25 percent sanctions on the fourth-largest economy in Latin America, which would swiftly escalate to 50 percent.
At the beginning of the turbulent Sunday, Petro tried to retaliate by imposing his own taxes on US goods, but he eventually changed his mind.
At a late-night press conference, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo declared that his nation had “overcome the impasse” and would welcome those who had returned.
Colombia has consented to “unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on US military aircraft, without limitation or delay,” according to a White House statement.
It stated, “Today’s events demonstrate to the world that America is once again respected.”
In addition to his adamant defense of our country’s sovereignty, President Trump anticipates complete cooperation from all other countries in allowing the expulsion of their individuals who are unlawfully in the country.
Trump declared he would halt the implementation of tariffs.
Even earlier, it was unclear how soon Trump could put tariffs on Colombia, which has a free-trade deal with the United States and has long been one of Washington’s closest allies in Latin America.
The US embassy in Bogota banned the granting of visas for Colombian government leaders and their immediate family members, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose wife is Colombian-American.
The visa restrictions will remain in effect until the first planeload of deportees returns, according to the White House.
Additionally, Trump pledged to increase the screening of Colombians at US airports.
Worries about the course of treatment
Trump, who claimed that immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the US during his campaign, began office vowing to apprehend and deport unauthorized individuals as soon as possible.
