Trump threatens Colombia with retaliation for turning away deportation flights

Colombia recently denied entry to two U.S. military deportation flights carrying approximately 80 Colombian migrants each. This decision came after Colombian President Gustavo Petro revoked diplomatic clearances for the aircraft, emphasizing his stance against treating migrants as criminals. President Trump responded with threats of punitive actions, including proposed tariffs of 25% on Colombian goods, which would increase to 50% within a week. He also announced travel bans and visa revocations targeting Colombian government officials, stating that Colombia must adhere to its obligations to accept its deported nationals. President Petro countered that any migrant should be treated with dignity and announced that Colombia would only receive deported citizens via civilian flights. The escalating tensions between the two nations highlight the growing dissent among Latin American countries towards U.S. immigration policies, specifically the use of military aircraft for deportations. Petro’s approval ratings, hovering around 30%, could be affected by the backlash from Trump’s measures, as well as the broader implications for Colombia's economy, which heavily relies on remittances from the U.S. The diplomatic discord is an early hurdle for Trump’s administration in its broader immigration reform agenda, complicating a promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants from the U.S.