Washington: The United States has decided not to impose the threatened tariffs and sanctions on Colombia after a successful agreement between both the countries regarding the return of deported migrants.
According to reports, the White House had claimed victory in a showdown with Colombia over accepting flights carrying deportees from the US on Sunday. This came hours after President Donald Trump threatened steep tariffs on imports and other sanctions on Colombia, which has been a longtime US partner
Earlier, the US President had ordered visa restrictions, 25% tariffs on all Colombian incoming goods, which would be raised to 50% in one week, and other retaliatory measures. Donald Trump had made these announcements agfter President Gustavo Petro decided to reject two Colombia-bound US military aircraft carrying migrants. Petro accused Trump of not treating immigrants with dignity during deportation. Petro had also declared a retaliatory 25% increase in Colombian tariffs on US goods.
🚨The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms pic.twitter.com/mQocusSGOC
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 27, 2025
According to Trump, measures were needed because Petro’s decision of blocking the flights “jeopardized” national security in the US.
‘Trump is white slave owner’
Moments before being defeated in the tariff war by Donald Trump, Petro had criticised the US President as a “white slave owner.” Petro said the US would “never dominate” the South American country.
According to Petro, Trump considers him an “inferior race.” But he claimed neither he nor any Colombian was any ‘inferior race.’
Trump, a mi no me gusta mucho viajar a los EEUU, es un poco aburridor, pero confieso que hay cosas meritorias, me gusta ir a los barrios negros de Washington, allí ví una lucha entera en la capital de los EEUU entre negros y latinos con barricadas, que me pareció una pendejada,…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 26, 2025
“Trump, I don’t much like traveling to the U.S. It’s a bit boring, but I admit there are things worthy of merit,” Petro said. “I don’t like your oil, Trump. It will destroy the human race because of greed. Maybe one day, over a glass of whiskey—which I’ll accept despite my gastritis—we can talk frankly about this. But it’s difficult because you consider me an inferior race, and I’m not, nor is any Colombian,” he added.
“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 had posted on his social media account.