President Donald Trump said on Sunday he will impose sweeping retaliatory measures on Colombia, including tariffs and sanctions, after the South American country turned away two U.S. military aircraft with migrants being deported as part of the new U.S. administration’s immigration crackdown.
Colombia, America’s third largest trading partner in Latin America, swiftly responded, threatening a 50% tariff on U.S. goods.
Trump’s punitive action appeared aimed at making an example of Colombia, the second case of a Latin American nation refusing U.S. military deportation flights. It was a demonstration of a more muscular U.S. foreign policy and showed a renewed willingness by Trump to force other countries to bend to his will.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the refusal by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to accept the flights jeopardized U.S. national security.
The retaliatory measures include imposing 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods coming into the U.S., which will go up to 50% in one week; a travel ban and visa revocations on Colombian government officials; and emergency treasury, banking and financial sanctions.
Trump said he would also direct enhanced border inspections of Colombian nationals and cargo.
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