US imposes sanctions and duties on Colombia for refusing to accept deported migrants

TheUnited States imposed sanctions and 25% duties on all goods from Colombia for Bogota's refusal to accept a plane with deported migrants. United States President Donald Trump said on January 26.

"The refusal of [Colombian President Gustavo] Petro on these flights [with migrants deported from the United States] has jeopardized the national security and public safety of the United States, which is why I have directed my administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive response: extraordinary 25% duties on all goods entering the United States. In a week's time, the 25% duties will be increased to 50%," the US leader said in a post on his Truth Social network.

In addition, Trump has banned travel and revoked visas for Colombian government officials and their allies and supporters. Visa sanctions are also imposed on all party members, family members and supporters of the Colombian government. In addition, the U.S. head of state has increased customs and border checks on citizens and cargo from Colombia for national security purposes.

"These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal obligations to receive and return the criminals they forcibly drove into the United States," Trump concluded.

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Earlier in the day, Petro said Colombia was refusing to accept U.S. planes carrying deportable Colombians. He said it was necessary to establish a protocol to treat the migrants with dignity before Colombia would start accepting them again.

It was later reported that Colombia had deployed two US military planes bound for the Latin American country with about 160 deportable migrants on board.

The day before, Mexico refused to accept the plane with deported migrants from the United States. It was noted that the reason for this decision was unclear, but a White House spokesman said that "the problem with the flights was administrative" and it was quickly fixed.

The first American planes with migrants arrived in Guatemala on January 24. On board the aircraft were 48 men, 31 women and one unaccompanied teenager. They were all registered and were provided with food, clothing, and psychological care.

Trump said that the deportation of illegal migrants from the country is going well. The American leader noted that first of all, criminals are expelled from the country.

Earlier, on January 22, Trump restricted the right of illegal migrants who got into the United States through the southern border. He instructed the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the State Department to take all necessary measures to immediately repel the invasion, repatriation and expulsion of illegal immigrants through the southern border of the country.