Colombia reaches deal with US to accept deported migrants

New Delhi, Jan 27: Colombia has reached an agreement with the United States to accept deported migrants arriving on US military planes, after a weekend of escalating tensions and threats from President Donald Trump, CNN reported.

Colombia initially blocked two US military flights carrying deportees, leading Trump to threaten steep tariffs on Colombian imports and impose visa sanctions.

However, on Sunday evening, Colombia’s Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo announced that the country had agreed to “all of President Trump’s terms,” including the “unrestricted acceptance” of deported Colombians. He assured that the returnees would be treated with dignity and confirmed that deportation flights had resumed.

According to CNN, the White House welcomed the agreement but warned that penalties, such as visa restrictions and cargo inspections, would remain in place until the first flight of deportees successfully landed. “Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again,” the White House said in a statement.

The standoff began when Colombian President Gustavo Petro blocked US military flights, accusing the US of treating Colombian migrants like criminals.

CNN reported that Petro initially denied authorising the flights, though US officials claimed that approval had been revoked at the last minute.

Trump then imposed measures like tariffs on Colombian imports and also suspending visa processing for Colombians sparking concerns about a potential trade war that could have massively impacted Colombia’s economy, particularly in the coffee and flower sectors.

CNN noted that coffee prices, already high, could have risen further if tariffs were implemented, affecting American consumers and Colombian farmers alike.

By Sunday evening, tensions eased when both sides reached an agreement. According to officials, the Colombian presidential plane was prepared to help with repatriation efforts.

CNN reported that Trump’s immigration crackdown is putting pressure on other nations, with similar threats made against Canada and Mexico.

A White House official told CNN, “You can’t go out there and publicly defy us in that way. We’re going to make sure the world knows they can’t get away with being non-serious and deceptive.”

Several other Latin American countries are now concerned about US deportation practices.

Brazilian authorities condemned the conditions on a US deportation flight, calling them “degrading” after discovering 88 handcuffed deportees aboard a plane with poor ventilation and faulty air conditioning.

While Colombia has managed to avoid an immediate trade conflict, political observers feel that the outcome of this dispute may set a precedent for how other nations respond to US immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.