President Donald Trump announced on Sunday retaliatory tariffs of 25% on Colombia after the country's President, Gustavo Petro blocked two US military flights carrying migrants heading toward the country.
Trump said the measures were necessary, because the decision of Colombian President Gustavo Petro “jeopardized” national security in the U.S.
“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “We will 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.”
Earlier Sunday, Petro said that his government won’t accept flights carrying migrants deported from the U.S. until the Trump administration creates a protocol that treats them with “dignity.” Petro made the announcement in two X posts, one of which included a news video of migrants reportedly deported to Brazil walking on a tarmac with restraints on their hands and feet.
“A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that a human being deserves,” President Gustavo Petro said. “That is why I returned the U.S. military planes that were carrying Colombian migrants.”
Between 2020 and 2024, Colombia accepted 475 deportation flights from the United States - placed fifth behind Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador, according to an advocacy group that tracks flight data. It accepted 124 deportation flights in 2024 alone.
Last year, Colombia and other countries began accepting U.S.-funded deportation flights from Panama.
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla, added that his country would receive Colombians in “civilian airplanes” and “without treatment like criminals.”
As part of a slate of actions to make good on U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign promises to crack down on illegal immigration, his government is using active-duty military to help secure the border and carry out deportations.
Two Air Force C-17 cargo planes carrying migrants removed from the U.S. landed in Guatemala, early Friday. That same day, Honduras received two deportation flights carrying a total of 193 people.
In announcing what he called “urgent and decisive retaliatory measures,” Trump explained that he ordered “25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States,” which would be raised to 50% in one week.
Trump said he also ordered “A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations” on Colombian government officials, allies and supporters.
“All Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government,” Trump wrote will be subject to “Visa Sanctions.” He didn’t say to which party he was referring to or provide any additional details on the visa and travel restrictions.
Trump added that all Colombians will face enhanced customs inspections.
Israel said it struck military targets in western and central Iran on Monday, even after U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly told Israeli Prime Min...
The Prime Minister's party is in the lead as Armenian media are reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count...
A powerful earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday (8 June), killing at least 15 people and triggering tsunami warn...
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome...
Football fans of all ages gathered in Miami Beach for a World Cup sticker trading event, exchanging duplicates and comparing Panini albums as they pre...
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al‑Zaidi will pay an official visit to the United States, bringing with him a delegation of business leaders, private‑sector representatives and banking officials, in an effort to boost investment and deepen economic ties with Washington.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Russian forces attacked two civilian search and rescue vessels operating in Ukrainian waters on Saturday, leaving several people injured.
An ageing, poorly insured shadow armada now accounts for around one-sixth of the world's tanker fleet. Hidden by design and fraught with risk, it operates beyond conventional oversight. A maritime law expert explains how it works, who profits, and why much of the world looks the other way.
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), the ambitious multimodal transit corridor designed to connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through southern Armenia, has moved rapidly from political declaration to practical implementation.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
The Prime Minister's party is in the lead as Armenian media are reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count in the parliamentary elections. An official announcement is still expected.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections will determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone. Here's how it works.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome as he described relations between the two countries as being at a "new historical starting point".
Football fans of all ages gathered in Miami Beach for a World Cup sticker trading event, exchanging duplicates and comparing Panini albums as they prepared for the tournament's opening match.
A city north of Tokyo has suspended classes at all 94 of its primary and middle schools after its first-ever reported bear sighting, amid growing concern over increasing encounters between bears and people across Japan.
A Turkish fishing vessel rescued migrants from a boat in distress in international waters off Malta on Sunday (7 June), after the overcrowded craft capsized in the central Mediterranean.
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as efforts to secure a ceasefire continue.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment