US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs and sanctions on Colombia after its president blocked two US military planes carrying deported migrants from landing in the country.
Trump stated that tariffs “on all goods” entering the US from Colombia will be implemented “immediately” and that the 25% tariffs would be escalated to 50% in one week.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro responded by threatening to levy 25% retaliation tariffs on the United States.
Petro alleged earlier on Sunday that he had refused to board US military deportation flights. He stated that he would “receive our fellow citizens on civilian planes, without treating them like criminals,” and that migrants should be returned “with dignity and respect.”
According to US sources, two military planes from San Diego were scheduled to land in Colombia on Sunday carrying migrant deportees, but those preparations were postponed owing to problems.
In response, Trump declared “urgent and decisive retaliatory measures” in a post on TruthSocial. He stated that the United States will impose a travel ban and “immediate visa revocations” on Colombian government leaders, as well as their allies and supporters.
Trump also said there would be visa sanctions on supporters of the Colombian government and enhanced Customs and Border Protection inspections “of all Colombian nationals and cargo on national security grounds.”.
“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump added, saying his administration would 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.”.
Petro replied on X by announcing his own tariffs and celebrating Colombia’s heritage and resilience.
“Your blockade does not scare me, because Colombia, besides being the country of beauty, is the heart of the world,” he said.
He also offered his presidential plane to facilitate the “decent return” of deportees from the US who had been set to arrive in the country.
Also on Sunday, Petro stated that more than 15,666 Americans were in Colombia illegally—a figure the BBC has not been able to independently verify.
Petro disclosed that unlike the Trump administration, he would “never” be seen carrying out a raid to return illegal US migrants.
Colombia supplies the United States with over 20% of its coffee, valued at nearly $2 billion (£1.6 billion), as well as other commodities such as bananas, crude oil, avocados, and flowers.
Tariffs will make importing these commodities more expensive, potentially leading to higher coffee costs for consumers.
Importers may migrate to alternative suppliers to avoid this, affecting Colombian producers by diminishing a crucial market.
The sanctions and travel bans imposed on the Colombian government and its supporters, as well as the resulting breakdown in diplomatic ties, are significant.
This is no longer just a trade war; it has become a war of words.
It is no secret that Petro dislikes Trump, having previously lambasted his immigration and environmental policies. That just ratcheted up.
Petro said Trump would “wipe out the human species because of greed” and accused Trump of considering Colombians an “inferior race.” He went on to say that he is “stubborn” and that while Trump can try to “carry out a coup” with “economic strength and arrogance,” he will, in short, fight back.
“From today on, Colombia is open to the entire world, with open arms,” he said.
While Trump is unlikely to take Colombia’s warnings seriously, this is something that should concern any US president who wants to address migration.
Christopher Landau, Trump’s nominee for deputy secretary of state, has said that “working with other countries to stop such migratory flows” must be a “global imperative of US foreign policy.”.
Every year, tens of thousands of migrants from all over the world come north to the United States after landing in South America, generally via Colombia and facilitated by criminal organisations.
