(Adnkronos) – The United States will not continue to impose tariffs on Colombia, after Bogotá agreed to accept – without restrictions – the expelled migrants. The White House made it known. Donald Trump had ordered the imposition of 25% duties on all Colombian products after his president yesterday prevented two US military flights carrying the migrants from landing in the country.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially responded by saying his country would accept repatriated citizens on “civilian planes, without treating them like criminals.” In a statement, the White House says Colombia has accepted migrants arriving on US military aircraft “without limitation or delay.” Colombia has said dialogue will be maintained to “ensure the dignity of our citizens”.
The White House hailed the deal with Colombia as a victory for Trump’s hard-and-fast approach, after the two leaders traded threats on social media yesterday. The Colombian foreign ministry said it had “overcome the impasse” with the United States, hours after Petro posted a lengthy post on X condemning what he called Trump’s “blockade”. Petro had previously denied entry to US military deportation flights, saying migrants should be repatriated “with dignity and respect”.
In response, Trump announced “urgent and decisive retaliatory measures” in a post on his Truth Social social media site, including tariffs and visa sanctions. Petro responded on X with a post announcing his own tariffs and celebrating Colombian tradition. “Your blockade does not scare me, because Colombia, besides being the country of beauty, is the heart of the world,” he said. But within hours, the two sides appear to have resolved the dispute and the White House said Colombia has accepted “all of President Trump’s requests.”
According to the White House, the tariffs proposed by Trump have been “fully drafted” and would still apply if Colombia does not comply with this agreement. Trump had also announced visa sanctions and enhanced inspections of Colombians at the border. These will remain in place “until the first plane loaded with Colombian deportees is successfully repatriated,” the White House said. Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said the country “will continue to welcome Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them dignified conditions, as citizens subject to rights.”
