Washington -President Trump promised rapid and punitive reprisals on Sunday after the Colombian government blocked this weekend the arrival of expulsion flights of the United States, opposing the efforts of the Trump administration to use military planes to expel migrants.
Trump announced on Sunday on social networks that his administration would put in place several measures against Colombia, including a customs right of 25 % – which, according to him, will be brought to 50 % after a week – on all goods entering in the United States from Colombia.
He also announced a prohibition to travel and an “immediate revocation of visas” for representatives of the Colombian government and “their allies”, sanctions in terms of visa against the Colombian authorities and their relatives and reinforced customs inspections on travelers and goods from Colombia.
“These measures are only on the start,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the criminals they have forced to enter the United States!”
A senior administration official declared that Mr. Trump’s actions were “a clear message” to the countries that they “have the obligation to accept repatriation flights”.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in his response published on social networks, told Mr. Trump: “Your blockade does not scare me”, and said that he would respond in the same way to the increase in rights of customs. In reference to the ban on travel, Petro said: “I don’t really like to travel to the United States, it’s a bit boring”.
Petro also predicted that the United States could “try to make a coup with your economic strength and your arrogance, as they did with Allende. … Take over me, president, and the Americas and humanity will answer, “wrote Petro.
In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it was the responsibility of Colombia to take over citizens who are illegally in the United States “in a serious and rapid way”.
“Colombian President Petro had authorized thefts and provided all the necessary authorizations, then canceled his authorization when the planes were in flight,” said Rubio. “As the actions of today demonstrate, we are unshakable in our commitment to end illegal immigration and strengthen the security of American borders.”
Earlier Sunday, Petro said He rejected expulsion flights because the expelled were transported to military planes, arguing that such a decision was treating migrants as criminals.
Rebecca Blackwell / AP
“The United States must establish a protocol for treatment worthy of migrants before welcoming them,” said Petro. wrote on social networks. He added that he would accept expulsion flights, provided that they were carried out on civil aircraft.
An American official told CBS that the Colombian migrants who were to be expelled on Sunday in these planes are back in the United States and will remain under the custody of the DHS until a new agreement is concluded.
Two US officials told CBS News that two planes from the Ministry of Defense carrying expelled migrants are expected to land in Colombia on Sunday, after leaving the San Diego region near the southern border. But these projects were abandoned overnight.
One of the US officials said the plan planned to expel about 80 Colombian migrants aboard each military plane.
The Colombian government has proposed to use its presidential plane to facilitate the return of migrants, but a senior official of the Trump administration said it would not be enough to ward off customs prices and the measures proposed by Mr. Trump.
Colombia’s decision to block American expulsion flights over the weekend is a first diplomatic setback for the Trump administration, because it lays the foundations for its massive expulsion campaign and the repression of immigration clandestine promised.
As part of this repression, President Trump decided to considerably increase the role that the US military plays in immigration control, by declaring a national emergency and deploying 1,500 additional soldiers and marine on the southern border . The troops were responsible for erect border barriers and help customs and border protection in an operational manner. Long -standing legal limits prohibit the use of soldiers for the civil application of laws, including the US Immigration Act.
Earlier in the week, the administration used military aircraft to expel the Guatemah migrants who had illegally crossed the southern border to Guatemala, announcing this decision as the start of their massive expulsion effort.
contributed to this report.
Camilo Montoya-Galvez
