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U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on Colombian goods after President Gustavo Petro blocked U.S. military flights deporting migrants, triggering a heated diplomatic clash. Petro countered with a threat of 50% tariffs on U.S. imports, escalating tensions between the two nations.
The dispute began when Petro insisted deported citizens must return on civilian planes and be treated with “dignity and respect.”
Today, Petro revealed that Colombia had already denied entry to U.S. deportation flights, prompting Trump to accuse him of endangering U.S. security.
Trump’s swift retaliation includes tariffs, a travel ban, and visa cancellations for Colombian officials. He warned that tariffs could double within a week, declaring, “These measures are just the beginning.”
Petro dismissed Trump’s actions, stating, “Your blockade doesn’t scare me… Colombia is the heart of the world,” and mocked the U.S. travel restrictions as unimportant.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed Petro had initially approved deportation flights but later reversed course.
Trade analysts say Colombia, which sends nearly a third of its exports to the U.S., could face serious economic impacts from the tariffs.
The standoff underscores Latin America’s resistance to Trump’s mass deportation policy, with Brazil and Mexico also pushing back against U.S. measures.
Despite a decline in migration through Colombia’s Darién Gap, overall migrant numbers remain high as Trump accelerates his hardline immigration agenda.
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