Colombia backs down on deportation flights after Trump tariffs threat

The US 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.US 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 US 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 honour this agreement", it added.Trump had ordered 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods after its president barred two US military deportation flights from landing in the country on Sunday.Colombian President Gustavo Petro had initially responded by saying his country would accept repatriated citizens on "civilian planes, without treating them like criminals".In response, Trump announced "urgent and decisive retaliatory measures" in a post on his social media site Truth Social, including tariffs and visa sanctions.Petro responded on X with a post announcing his own tariffs and celebrating Colombia's heritage."Your blockade does not scare me, because Colombia, besides being the country of beauty, is the heart of the world," he said.Within hours, the two sides appeared to have resolved the row, and the White House said Colombia had agreed to "all of President Trump's demands".

Colombia backs down on deportation flights after Trump tariffs threat

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-03

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Colombia backs down on deportation flights after Trump tariffs threat

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-03

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