Colombia will dispatch its presidential plane to Honduras to bring home Colombian nationals after the country refused to accept U.S. deportation flights, triggering tariffs and retaliatory measures from President Donald Trump on Sunday.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the use of the presidential aircraft to ensure what the government described as a "dignified return" for deported Colombians.
“This measure is in response to the government’s commitment to guarantee dignified conditions. In no way have Colombians, as patriots and subjects of rights, been or will be banished from Colombian territory,” read an official statement released Sunday.
The statement emphasized that the Colombian government would not abandon its citizens, even as tensions with Washington escalate.
Earlier on Sunday, President Trump responded to Colombia’s refusal to accept deportation flights by imposing:
Trump justified the measures by accusing Petro’s government of violating international obligations regarding the acceptance of deported nationals.
Petro has repeatedly stated his opposition to Trump’s immigration policies, rejecting U.S. deportation flights.
“The U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. “I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory.”
With both leaders doubling down, the U.S.-Colombia dispute appears to be escalating rapidly, raising concerns over diplomatic relations and economic impacts.
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