The U.S. and Colombia narrowly avoided a trade war yesterday, with President Gustavo Petro of Colombia and President Trump sparring over the deportation of Colombian migrants from the U.S.
Late last night, Petro backed down and agreed to receive all deportees from the U.S., including those on military planes. Trump had threatened to impose steep tariffs and a raft of other penalties in response to Petro’s announcement that he had turned back military planes carrying deportees to Colombia.
In a statement yesterday, the White House said Petro had agreed to all of its terms. It said tariffs and sanctions would be “held in reserve” and that other penalties would remain in effect until the first planeload of deportees had arrived in Colombia. Colombia’s foreign ministry also released a statement, saying that it would accept deportation flights and “guarantee dignified conditions” for those Colombians on board.
