Colombia-U.S. feud over deportations sparks trade and visa retaliation
Tensions between the U.S. and Colombia have escalated after a dispute over deportation flights led to economic retaliation. The row began when Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused landing rights for U.S. aircraft carrying deportees, prompting threats of tariffs and visa restrictions from former President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, concerns are growing across Latin America about the impact of mass deportations on vulnerable communities.
The conflict flared on 28 January when the U.S. deported a group of Colombians. Petro later posted on social media that the returnees arrived 'free, dignified and without being handcuffed'. His criticism of Trump's migration policies triggered swift U.S. retaliation: proposed tariffs of up to 50% on Colombian goods, cancelled visa appointments, and a travel ban on Colombian officials.
Elsewhere in the region, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pledged to support returning migrants with cash for transport and access to social services. She described her approach as welcoming them with 'open arms'. Yet many migrants face bleak prospects, returning to areas with few jobs or family connections.
Religious and humanitarian groups have also raised alarms. Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa of Panama City warned that stricter U.S. policies risk turning transit countries into 'human dams', worsening instability. Remittances, which make up over 20% of GDP in parts of Central America, could shrink further under mass deportations, deepening economic hardship.
The standoff between Petro and Trump highlights broader anxieties over migration enforcement. With limited support systems for returnees, leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean are bracing for economic and social strain. The dispute also underscores how migration policies can quickly strain diplomatic and trade relations.
