Colombia Agrees to Accept Deportation Flights After Trump Threatens Tariffs [View all]
Source: New York Times
Colombia Agrees to Accept Deportation Flights After Trump Threatens Tariffs
The country's leader, Gustavo Petro, backed down after a clash with President Trump, which started when Mr. Petro turned back U.S. military planes carrying deportees.
President Gustavo Petro of Colombia last year. On Sunday, he said the United States should not treat Colombian migrants as criminals. Raul Arboleda/Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images
By Genevieve GlatskySimon Romero and Annie Correal
Genevieve Glatsky reported from Bogot, Colombia, and Simon Romero and Annie Correal from Mexico City.
Published Jan. 26, 2025
Updated Jan. 27, 2025, 2:03 a.m. ET
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Under threats from President Trump that included steep tariffs, President Gustavo Petro of Colombia has relented and will allow U.S. military planes to fly deportees into the country, after turning two transports back in response to what he called inhumane treatment.
The two leaders had engaged in a war of words on Sunday after Colombia's move to block Mr. Trump's use of military aircraft in deporting thousands of unauthorized immigrants.
But on Sunday night, the White House released a statement in which it said that because Mr. Petro had agreed to all of its terms, the tariffs and sanctions Mr. Trump had threatened would be "held in reserve." Other penalties, such as visa sanctions, will remain in effect until the first planeload of deportees has arrived in Colombia, the statement said. ... "Today's events make clear to the world that America is respected again," it added.
Colombia's foreign ministry released a statement soon afterward that said "we have overcome the impasse with the United States government." It said the government would accept all deportation flights and "guarantee dignified conditions" for those Colombians on board.
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The Trump administration's move to use military jets to deport migrants is an expansion on civilian deportation flights, like this one carrying 135 migrants to Guatemala City on Jan. 15. Daniele Volpe for The New York Times
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Eric Schmitt contributed reporting from Washington, Jack Nicas from Rio de Janeiro, Julie Turkewitz from Bogot, and Jody Garca from Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Simon Romero is a Times correspondent covering Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. He is based in Mexico City. More about Simon Romero
Annie Correal reports from the U.S. and Latin America for The Times. More about Annie Correal
A version of this article appears in print on Jan. 27, 2025, Section A, Page 7 of the New York edition with the headline: Colombia Turns Away Deportation Flights, Enraging Trump and Drawing Tariffs. Order Reprints Today's Paper Subscribe
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/26/world/americas/colombia-us-deportation-flights.html
https://www.nytimes.com/by/genevieve-glatsky
https://www.nytimes.com/by/simon-romero
https://www.nytimes.com/by/annie-correal
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/01/26/trump-colombia-deportation-flights-migrants-tariffs/
Trump backs off trade threats after Colombia agrees to deportation flights
The two nations spent much of Sunday in a tense standoff after President Donald Trump announced steep tariffs and visa restrictions on Colombia after the South American nation had turned away two flights.
By Mariana Alfaro, Samantha Schmidt, Karen DeYoung and Trisha Thadani
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