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.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 21st of November, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukrainan President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after talks with a top U.S. Army official on Thursday he was ready for "honest" work with Washington on a plan to end the war in Ukraine, while European allies pushed back against punishing concessions to Russia.
The full 28-point framework outlining a proposed settlement between Ukraine and Russia has been published by Axios, but has yet to be officially published. Drafted by the U.S. administration, it says it's built on security guarantees, territorial provisions and long-term economic arrangements.
The United States is preparing to launch a new round of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, as President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies efforts to pressure President Nicolás Maduro’s government and targets what it calls Venezuela’s role in the regional drug trade.
Italy captured a remarkable third consecutive Davis Cup title on Sunday, with Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli securing singles victories in a 2-0 triumph over Spain in Bologna.
Air traffic at Eindhoven Airport in the southern Netherlands was suspended on Saturday evening after multiple drones were sighted near the facility, prompting the deployment of counter-drone systems and raising fresh alarm over airspace security in Europe.
Cameras from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) on Saturday (November 22) captured Hawaii's Kilauea volcano spewing flowing lava from its crater in its latest eruption.
Several international airlines have suspended flights from Venezuela after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned of heightened military activity and deteriorating security conditions in the country’s airspace.
Russian forces staged a "massive" drone attack on Sunday on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, killing four people and injuring several others, officials said.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during last weekend's G20 summit in South Africa, Lee's office on Monday.
This weekend's G20 declaration shows a "renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation", South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday.
The United States said it made significant progress on a framework aimed at ending the war in Ukraine during high-level talks in Geneva on Sunday, though no final agreement was reached.
U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has quietly faded out with eight months left on its mandate, as its powers are absorbed into the federal bureaucracy and critics question whether it ever produced real savings.
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