US, Colombia reach deal on deportations; tariff, sanctions put on hold

The U.S. and Colombia pulled back from the brink of a trade war on Sunday after the White House said the South American nation had agreed to accept military aircraft carrying deported migrants.
U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened tariffs and sanctions on Colombia to punish it for earlier refusing to accept military flights carrying deportees as part of his sweeping immigration crackdown.
But in a statement late on Sunday, the White House said Colombia had agreed to accept the migrants after all and Washington would not impose its threatened penalties.
U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened tariffs and sanctions on Colombia to punish it for earlier refusing to accept military flights carrying deportees as part of his sweeping immigration crackdown.
But in a statement late on Sunday, the White House said Colombia had agreed to accept the migrants after all and Washington would not impose its threatened penalties.
"The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay," it said.
Draft orders imposing tariffs and sanctions on Colombia would be "held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement", it added.
"Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again. President Trump ... expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States," the White House statement said.
In a statement late on Sunday, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said: "We have overcome the impasse with the U.S. government".
"The government of Colombia ... has the presidential plane ready to facilitate the return of Colombians who were going to arrive in the country this morning on deportation flights."
The statement did not specifically say that the agreement included military flights, but it did not contradict the White House announcement.
Murillo and Colombia's ambassador to the United States will travel to Washington in coming days to follow up on agreements that led to the exchange of diplomatic notes between the two governments, the Colombian statement added.
Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombias-petro-will-not-allow-us-planes-return-migrants-2025-01-26/ |