Colombia Accepts Military Deportation Flights to Avoid Tariffs

After Donald Trump ordered 25% tariffs in retaliation for Colombia’s insistence that deportation flights must not be on military planes, Colombia pushed back. In the end Colombia agreed to accept repatriation flights on military planes after Trump agreed to get prior authorization and provide decent, dignified treatment for Colombian people.

President Petro threatened retaliatory tariff on imports from the USA, most notably corn for which it is among the USA’s top 5 markets. A bipartisan group in Congress led by Senator Todd Young (R-IN) wrote a letter about the tariff crisis, saying in part, “American farmers cannot afford to lose such a vital export market, especially when access to the top U.S. corn export market, Mexico, is already at risk.” In the end neither country imposed the threatened tariffs.

Unlike the recent flights that Colombia turned away, these will occur with prior authorization and deportees on them will receive better treatment. Colombia accepted 475 deportation flights from 2020 to 2024 on commercial and charter aircraft, so all that is new about repatriations to Colombia is the use of much more costly military flights.

Of the long list of retaliatory measures Trump announced on social media the previous day, Trump appears to be lifting only the tariffs. The White House says visa restrictions and intensified inspection of Colombians at the border remain in place “until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned.” Tariffs remain drafted and ready to be imposed.

Colombia has been one of the USA’s staunchest allies and trading partners in Latin America, and will now need to turn more toward China for such a relationship.

Click here for more details.

Click here for much more complete context.