Colombia agrees to accept migrants from US

On January 26, the White House announced that Colombia agreed to accept military aircraft carrying deported migrants. 

Thus, the U.S. and Colombia pulled back from the brink of a trade war. 

President Donald Trump had threatened tariffs and sanctions on Colombia for initially refusing to accept the flights as part of his immigration crackdown, Caliber.Az reports, citing US media.

However, the White House stated that Colombia had agreed to accept the deportees and that Washington would not impose the threatened penalties.

The White House confirmed that Colombia would accept all illegal migrants returning from the U.S., including those on military aircraft, without limitations or delays. Draft orders imposing tariffs and sanctions would be "held in reserve" unless Colombia failed to comply with the agreement.

Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo confirmed the resolution of the issue, stating that the country had overcome the impasse with the U.S. government. Murillo added that the presidential plane was ready to assist in the return of Colombians who were set to arrive that morning on deportation flights.

The agreement, which did not specifically mention military flights, was seen as a breakthrough after Colombia had initially resisted military deportation flights. Colombian officials, including the ambassador to the U.S., were expected to travel to Washington to follow up on the agreements.

Earlier, the U.S. had proposed measures such as 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods, which could increase to 50%, along with travel bans, visa revocations for Colombian officials, and financial sanctions. Trump had also warned of enhanced border inspections on Colombian nationals and cargo.

The U.S. is Colombia's largest trading partner, and Colombia is the third-largest U.S. trading partner in Latin America. A 2006 free trade agreement contributed to $33.8 billion in two-way trade in 2023, with a $1.6 billion U.S. trade surplus.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro had previously condemned the use of military flights for deportations, comparing the U.S. actions to Nazi tactics, but said Colombia would accept deported migrants on civilian flights. Trump’s declaration of illegal immigration as a national emergency and subsequent crackdowns have led to military involvement in border security and restrictions on asylum.

Meanwhile, Brazil’s foreign ministry condemned the treatment of Brazilian migrants, some of whom were handcuffed during deportation flights, with some passengers reporting mistreatment. After a technical stop in Manaus, Brazilian officials ordered the removal of handcuffs and designated a Brazilian Air Force flight to complete the journey.

By Khagan Isayev