Colombian President Gustavo Petro offered his presidential plane to repatriate migrants getting back from the U.S. on Sunday in response to stern warnings made by President Donald Trump.
The transfer got here after Trump hit the South American nation with retaliatory measures in response to Petro’s refusal to just accept deportation flights. A former member of the M-19, which was a Marxist guerrilla terrorist group that killed tons of, Petro caved in to Trump’s calls for with exceptional velocity. Trump instructed Fox Information Petro did a complete about-face after his tariff risk.
In a press release translated from Spanish, the Colombian authorities stated the airplane will assist facilitate a “dignified return.”
“The Authorities of Colombia, underneath the path of President Gustavo Petro, has organized the presidential airplane to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who had been going to reach within the nation at present within the morning, coming from deportation flights,” the translated assertion learn.
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“This measure responds to the Authorities’s dedication to ensure respectable situations.”
This weekend, American officers despatched two flights of Colombian unlawful aliens as a part of Trump’s ongoing deportation program. Petro rejected the flights, writing that the U.S. can’t “deal with Colombian migrants as criminals.”
“I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory,” Petro stated. “The US should set up a protocol for the dignified remedy of migrants earlier than we obtain them.”
In response, Trump unleashed a slew of punishments, together with ordering a 25% tariff on all items coming into the U.S. from Colombia.
The tariff would rise to 50% after one week, Trump stated. The president additionally ordered a journey ban and visa revocations for all Colombian authorities officers, plus “allies and supporters.”
“These measures are simply the starting. We won’t permit the Colombian Authorities to violate its authorized obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they compelled into america!” Trump warned.
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“I used to be simply knowledgeable that two repatriation flights from america, with a massive variety of Unlawful Criminals, weren’t allowed to land in Colombia,” Trump wrote on Reality Social. “This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who’s already very unpopular amongst his individuals.”
“Petro’s denial of those flights has jeopardized the Nationwide Safety and Public Security of america, so I’ve directed my Administration to instantly take the next pressing and decisive retaliatory measures.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio partially fulfilled Trump’s order on Sunday, publishing a press release in regards to the company imposing visa restrictions so as “to implement and prioritize an America First agenda.”
“Following President Petro’s refusal to just accept two repatriation flights he beforehand licensed, Secretary Rubio instantly ordered a suspension of visa issuance on the U.S. Embassy Bogota consular part,” the State Division stated. “Secretary Rubio is now authorizing journey sanctions on people and their households, who had been accountable for the interference of U.S. repatriation flight operations.”
“Measures will proceed till Colombia meets its obligations to just accept the return of its personal residents.”
U.S. Customs and Border Safety acted with comparable swiftness to implement Trump’s orders.
The company stated it was taking “decisive measures” together with enhanced inspections of flights, personal plane, and cargo to and from Colombia, denying boarding to flagged visa holders and implementing the journey ban on Colombian officers with DOS coordination.
On Sunday afternoon, Petro issued an identical risk to Trump, saying that he ordered his international commerce minister “to boost tariffs on imports from the U.S. by 25%.”
“The ministry ought to assist direct our exports to the entire world apart from the US,” the translated put up learn. “Our exports needs to be expanded.”
Later, Petro revealed a prolonged rant the place he raised the tariffs to 50%.
“I’m knowledgeable that you simply impose a 50% tariff on the fruits of our human labor to enter america, and I do the identical,” the translated X put up stated.
The White Home stated in a press release that Colombia “has agreed to all of President Trump’s phrases, together with the unrestricted acceptance of all unlawful aliens from Colombia returned from america, together with on U.S. army plane, with out limitation or delay.”
“Based mostly on this settlement, the totally drafted IEEPA tariffs and sanctions can be held in reserve, and never signed, except Colombia fails to honor this settlement,” the assertion stated. “The visa sanctions issued by the State Division, and enhanced inspections from Customs and Border Safety, will stay in impact till the primary planeload of Colombian deportees is efficiently returned.”
“At present’s occasions clarify to the world that America is revered once more,” the assertion added. “President Trump will proceed to fiercely defend our nation’s sovereignty, and he expects all different nations of the world to completely cooperate in accepting the deportation of their residents illegally current in america.”
Amid the back-and-forth between Petro and Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson weighed in on social media and warned that “Colombia and all nations needs to be on discover.”
“Congress is totally ready to move sanctions and different measures towards these that don’t totally cooperate or observe by means of on necessities to just accept their residents who’re illegally in america,” Johnson wrote. “President Trump is placing America first, similar to he stated he would. And Congress will implement insurance policies that reinforce his agenda.”
Fox Information Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Authentic article supply: Colombian leader quickly caves after Trump threats, offers presidential plane for deportation flights
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