Colombia has extended an offer to fund the “dignified” deportation of its citizens from the United States, as tensions between the two nations escalate. The announcement by Colombia’s foreign ministry on Friday, January 31, comes just a week after a heated exchange between Presidents Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump regarding the expulsion of illegal migrants.
Previously, both leaders had exchanged threats of imposing significant trade tariffs, with potential rates as high as 50 percent. In response to Petro’s decision not to permit US military planes to transport Colombian migrants back home, Washington’s embassy in Bogota ceased visa issuance from Monday through Friday.
Petro criticized the United States for allegedly mistreating migrants by using restraints such as shackles and handcuffs during deportation processes. However, in a move seemingly aimed at appeasing Trump’s demands, Colombia’s foreign ministry proposed to Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump’s special envoy for Latin America, that Bogota would take responsibility for “immediately facilitating the transfer of all deported citizens,” covering their transportation expenses.
The Colombian government, led by Petro, affirmed its stance on ensuring that expelled migrants return under humane conditions, rejecting the use of restraints. In recent actions, Colombian military and civilian aircraft have repatriated initial groups of migrants back to Bogota on Tuesday and Wednesday.
According to Petro, the returned individuals, including several children, were handled with dignity, emphasizing that none of them had been confirmed as criminals by Colombian authorities. The country anticipates the return of approximately 27,000 migrants whose deportation orders were issued over the past six months by either the Trump administration or the current Democratic administration under Joe Biden.
Trump’s administration has vowed to conduct the largest deportation effort in US history, targeting millions of undocumented immigrants, many of whom originate from Latin American countries. Despite these diplomatic tensions, the United States remains Colombia’s largest trading partner and has provided substantial financial aid for decades to combat drug trafficking and terrorism within the region.
