Donald Trump's Tariff Threat On Colombia: What Will It Mean For Valentine's Day Flowers?

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Washington, Jan 28 (AP)- President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 25 per cent tax on imports from Colombia comes at a most inauspicious time: The wrangling over the South American country's willingness to accept flights carrying deported immigrants is flaring up just three weeks before Valentine's Day, and Colombia is America's No. 1 foreign source of cut flowers.

But romantics may be spared from becoming victims of a trade dispute. The White House declared victory on Sunday, saying that Colombia had reversed itself and agreed to allow the flights to land, backing down just hours after Trump threatened to impose visa restrictions in addition to the steep tariffs on its longtime ally in South America.

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The White House said tariffs on Colombian exports would be put on hold, but added that visa restrictions on Colombian officials and enhanced custom inspections would remain“until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned.”

Earlier, Columbian President Gustavo Petro's had rejected two Colombia-bound US military aircraft carrying migrants. Petro accused Trump of not treating immigrants with dignity during deportation and threatened to retaliate against US by slapping a 25 per cent increase in Colombian tariffs on US goods.

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The Colombian government signalled late Sunday that the standoff was over:“We have overcome the impasse with the United States government,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo.“We will continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions as citizens subject to rights.”

The US is Colombia's biggest export market but it accounts for just 0.5 per cent of American goods imports, ranking as the world's No. 26 importer of goods to the United States.

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