The US will not continue with tariffs on Colombia, after the country agreed to accept – without restrictions – deported migrants, the White House says.
Donald Trump ordered 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods after his president banned two US military deportation flights from landing in the country on Sunday.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially reacted by saying his country would accept deportations on “civilian planes without treating them as criminals.”
A White House statement said Columbia had now agreed to accept migrants arriving on US military aircraft “without restriction or delay”. Colombia says Washington treated the returned citizens with dignity.
On Sunday, Petro denied getting on US military deportation flights, saying migrants should be returned “with dignity and respect”.
In response, Trump announced “immediate and decisive retaliation” in a post on his social media site, including tariffs and visa sanctions.
Petro responded to X in a post announcing his own tariffs and celebrating Colombia’s heritage and resilience.
“Your blockade does not scare me, because Colombia, apart from being a land of beauty, is the heart of the world,” he said.
Within hours, the two sides appeared to have settled the row. The White House said Columbia agreed to “all of President Trump’s requests.”
Trump’s proposed tariffs were “fully crafted” and would still be implemented if Colombia does not comply with the deal, according to the White House.
Trump also announced visa sanctions and stepped up inspections of Colombians at the border. They will remain in place “until the first scheduled impact of the Columbian Deportees returns,” the White House said.
