Trump plans on implanting sanctions on Colombia due to refusing to take back unlawful aliens

(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he will impose emergency tariffs on Colombian goods and sanction Colombian officials after the country’s president, Gustavo Petro, refused to allow American planes carrying deported illegal immigrants to land. Trump expressed his anger over the decision, stating that two repatriation flights were denied entry, and directed his administration to take "urgent and decisive retaliatory measures."

Trump revealed that he will impose a 25% emergency tariff on all Colombian goods entering the U.S., which will increase to 50% in a week. The U.S. is Colombia's largest trade partner, with over $12 billion in Colombian exports annually. In addition to tariffs, Trump vowed to revoke visas for all Colombian officials, as well as their "allies and supporters," and apply travel bans to members of Petro's left-wing party. Visa sanctions will also extend to their families, and increased inspections will be implemented for Colombian visitors to the U.S. Financial sanctions will be imposed on Colombia’s government as well.

The U.S. president emphasized that these actions were only the beginning, stressing that Colombia must meet its legal obligations regarding the deportation of criminals. Petro had previously stated that he would not accept deportation flights until the U.S. guarantees “dignified treatment” for the migrants, though he did not specify what that entails.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been conducting daily raids across the country, detaining individuals for deportation, with 421 people arrested on Saturday alone. Deportation flights to countries like Guatemala and Mexico have already begun, though the number of Colombian nationals awaiting deportation remains unclear.

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