The Blubber

Trump Announces Retaliation Against Colombia Over Denied Deportation Flights

President Donald Trump announced sweeping retaliatory measures against Colombia on Sunday, including tariffs and visa sanctions, after the country refused entry to two U.S. military deportation flights.

"These measures are just the beginning. 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!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Colombia Blocks U.S. Deportation Flights

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Department confirmed to NBC News that Colombia denied landing clearance for the flights.

According to a defense official, the flights—carried out on U.S. military C-17 aircraft—originated from California and carried approximately 80 Colombian migrants each.

Trump's Retaliatory Measures

In response, Trump unveiled a series of economic and diplomatic sanctions against Colombia, accusing it of failing to meet its obligations to accept deported nationals.

The measures include:

• Tariffs on Colombian imports, starting at 25% on all goods and increasing to 50% within a week.
• Visa sanctions on Colombian government officials and allies.
• Enhanced customs inspections on Colombian imports.
• Financial penalties on entities linked to the Colombian government.
• A travel ban and immediate visa revocations for Colombian government officials, party members, their families, allies, and supporters.

Trump claimed that Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s refusal to accept deportation flights had put U.S. national security and public safety at risk.

Colombia Responds with Countermeasures

Petro swiftly dismissed Trump's actions, declaring:

"These threats do not scare me. Colombia is not anyone’s colony."

He then directed Colombia's foreign trade minister to:

• Raise tariffs on U.S. imports by 25%.
• Redirect Colombian exports to other global markets.
• Replace U.S. goods with domestically produced alternatives, with government support for local industries.

U.S.-Colombia Trade Relations at Stake

According to the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S.-Colombia trade totaled $53.5 billion in 2022, with exports slightly exceeding imports.

Key U.S. imports from Colombia include:

• Oils, minerals, lime, and cement (over 40% of total imports).
• Agricultural products, making up 26% of imports.

With both nations now escalating their trade conflict, tensions between Washington and Bogotá appear poised to intensify further.