The White House said this Sunday that Colombia backtracked and agreed to accept its deported citizens on military flights, after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose sanctions.
The Trump administration will suspend planned tariffs and most sanctions, according to a White House statement.
Minutes later, the chancellor of Colombia, Luis Gilberto Murillo confirmed that his country considers “the impasse with the United States has been overcome” and that he accepts the terms of Trump’s repatriation policy.
“We will continue to receive Colombian men and women who return as deportees,” the diplomat said in a press conference.
The White House said in a statement that Colombia, Latin America’s fourth largest economy, agreed to “accept without restrictions all illegal aliens from Colombia returning from the United States.”even on US military aircraft, without limitations or delays.”
Petro upset Trump
“Today’s events make clear to the world that the United States is respected again,” the statement added.
He added that “President Trump will continue to fiercely protect the sovereignty” of the United States and that he hopes that all nations “will cooperate fully to accept the deportation of their citizens who are illegally” in the country.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the first leftist in power in the South American country, had angered Trump by refusing to accept military planes with Colombians deported from the United States.
Petro said his country would welcome the migrants back, but “with dignity,” even on civilian planes.
Keep reading:
• Trump imposes tariffs and other sanctions on Colombia after Petro’s refusal to receive deportees
• Petro offers presidential plane for the return of migrants from the US and calls on Celac
• Tom Homan on mass deportation: “ICE agents from all over the country will be on the streets from the beginning”