President Trump on Sunday said he was imposing large tariffs and significant sanctions on Colombia after its government refused to accept two military cargo flights carrying deported Colombians.
The latest: Trump won’t impose tariffs on Colombia after all — following the Latin American government’s agreement to accept all of his terms, including receiving Colombians deported from the U.S., White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Sunday night.
The latest: Trump won’t impose tariffs on Colombia after all — following the Latin American government’s agreement to accept all of his terms, including receiving Colombians deported from the U.S., White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Sunday night.
Why it matters: The Latin American country has long been a crucial U.S. ally, even under the tenure of leftist President Gustavo Petro.
The U.S. is Colombia’s largest trade and investment partner, with over $39 billion in goods and services traded between both countries in 2022, according to the U.S. State Department. Catch up quick: Petro ordered Colombian officials to turn away military planes carrying deportees this weekend. He said in a post on X that the U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants like criminals and should return them on civilian flights.
“I can’t force migrants to stay in a country where they’re not wanted, but that country should return them with dignity and respect toward them and also our country,” Petro wrote. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that he was imposing emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the U.S. from Colombia, a travel ban on Colombian government officials and other major financial sanctions in response to the refusal to accept the flights.