President Donald Trump claimed a quick victory after the Colombian government said it would begin accepting repatriated migrants arriving in the country on U.S. military aircraft as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts.
The apparent agreement was the result of a day-long spat between the two countries’ presidents that culminated in threats of dueling tariffs—though plans for a trade war appear to have been shelved, for now.
“The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement published late on Sunday evening.
The White House said that the retaliatory 25-percent tariffs on Colombian imports and economic sanctions originally threatened by Trump remained “held in reserve, and not signed” in case the South American nation does not hold up their end of the bargain.
Leavitt also said that the U.S. would leave visa sanctions issued by the State Department and enhanced inspections conducted by Customs and Border Patrol in place until Colombia accepted its first plane carrying migrants.
The announcement of a deal came just hours after Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced he was prepared to match Trump’s tariff threats with a 25-percent tariff on goods coming from the U.S.
But the Colombian government quickly confirmed that they had “overcome the impasse” with Trump in their own announcement on Sunday night, after the nation’s foreign minister and ambassador to the U.S. held “high-level meetings” with the Trump administration.
“The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro said in a statement on Sunday night as the feud escalated, announcing he would turn away flights carrying arrested migrants due to their poor treatment at the hands of American authorities. He also called for the U.S. to “establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”
By Sunday night, the Colombian government announced they had reached a deal “guaranteeing [deported Colombian migrants] decent conditions, as citizens subject to rights.” They also said that diplomatic channels would remain open to “guarantee the rights, the national interest, and the dignity of our citizens.”
Earlier on Sunday as the diplomatic spat heated up, Petro sent his presidential plane to “facilitate the dignified return” of Colombian citizens. Later that evening, the Colombian government confirmed the plane was prepared to start that process in the morning.
Following the detente Sunday night, the Trump administration claimed victory, insisting that “America is respected again” on the world stage.
“President Trump will continue to fiercely protect our nation’s sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States,” Leavitt said.
