Outgoing Colombian foreign minister Luis Gilberto Murillo reading a statement after a clash with the US government over dehumanizing deportation flights. Photo: Carlos Ortega/EFE.
On Sunday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s government announced that it is backing down from its conflict with the United States by announcing that it will accept the deportation of its citizens. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s administration stated that it “made itself respected.”
In an official statement released on Sunday night by Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo, he stated that “we have overcome the impasse with the United States government.”
Foreign Minister Murillo announced that in the coming days, he will travel with other officials to Washington to hold high-level meetings to follow up on the agreements resulting from the joint work that led to the exchange of diplomatic notes between the two governments.
Comunicado oficial pic.twitter.com/VlTD49lsQs
— Cancillería Colombia (@CancilleriaCol) January 27, 2025
“We will continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions as citizens with rights,” reads the Colombian government’s statement.
Under President Gustavo Petro’s direction, Colombia has the presidential plane ready to facilitate the return of the compatriots who were to arrive in the country this morning on deportation flights. The statement concluded that Colombia confirms that diplomatic channels of dialogue will be maintained to guarantee its citizens’ rights, national interest, and dignity.
In a contradictory statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that “the Government of Colombia has accepted all of President Trump’s terms.”
🚨The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms pic.twitter.com/mQocusSGOC
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 27, 2025
In her text, the US official wrote that “the Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on US military aircraft, without limitation or delay.”
“Based on this agreement, the fully drafted IEEPA tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve, not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement,” she added.
Leavitt noted that visa sanctions issued by the State Department and enhanced inspections by Customs and Border Protection will remain in effect until the first plane carrying Colombian deportees successfully returns.
“Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again. President Trump will continue to fiercely protect our nation’s sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens who are illegally present in the United States,” the statement concluded.
Trump Sanctions Colombia for Rejecting Dehumanizing Deportation Flights (+Urgent CELAC Summit)
Background
Early on Sunday, President Petro disallowed the landing of two US planes carrying deported Colombians, refusing to receive them in military aircraft and handcuffed.
In retaliation, Trump revealed that he would apply several unilateral coercive measures to Colombia, including 25% tariffs on all Colombian products, extendable to 50%, exhaustive inspections of Colombian citizens and merchandise, and visa sanctions for Colombian officials. He also announced that sanctions on banking and other areas would be on the way.
In response, Petro announced that he would impose 50% tariffs on US products entering the Colombian market and denounced that a coup d’état was being planned against him.
(Alba Ciudad) by Ana Perdigón with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
