Colombian President Gustavo Petro caved in with remarkable speed to President Donald Trump's demands Sunday, and reversed his decision to block US deportation flights, offering a "presidential plane" to facilitate the “dignified return” of Colombian nationals. The move came after Trump hit the South American country with retaliatory sanctions.
This weekend, American officials sent two flights of Colombian illegal aliens as part of Trump's ongoing deportation program. Petro rejected the flights, writing that the U.S. cannot "treat Colombian migrants as criminals."
"I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory," Petro said. "The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them."
In response, Trump unleashed a slew of punishments, including ordering a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. from Colombia.
"I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people. Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures:
"-Emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States. In one week, the 25% tariffs will be raised to 50%.
"-A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters.
-Visa Sanctions on all Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government.
"-Enhanced Customs and Border Protection Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo on national security grounds.
"-IEEPA Treasury, Banking and Financial Sanctions to be fully imposed.
"These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!"
A former member of the M-19, which was a Marxist guerrilla terrorist group that killed hundreds, Petro quickly caved in to Trump's demands
In a statement translated from Spanish, the Colombian government offered to send a "presidential plane|" to help facilitate a "dignified return."
"The Government of Colombia, under the direction of President Gustavo Petro, has arranged the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who were going to arrive in the country today in the morning, coming from deportation flights," the statement read. "This measure responds to the Government's commitment to guarantee decent conditions."
Trump later trolled the Colombian president with a 'FAFO' meme [Fuck Around and Find Out].
Meanwhile the Trump administration has stepped up immigration enforcement across the country as it ends its first week in office.
Federal narcotics agents arrested approximately 50 illegal aliens during a high-stakes drug trafficking raid in Adams County, Colorado, on Sunday. Many of those apprehended reportedly have ties to the notorious violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Rocky Mountain Division, in collaboration with metro Denver law enforcement agencies and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Denver, executed the early morning raid at an illegal makeshift nightclub operating in the area.
Federal authorities reported the seizure of substantial quantities of illicit drugs, firearms, and large sums of cash, underscoring the growing criminal threat posed by illegal immigration.
DEA Rocky Mountain Division confirmed the operation in a post on X, writing, “DEA and federal/local partners conducted an early morning operation at a makeshift nightclub in Adams County. Drugs/weapons/cash seized. Approx. 50 illegal aliens were taken into custody by ERO Denver – many are connected with the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang from Venezuela.”
Officials described the operation as targeting a secretive “invite-only” venue used by gang members to orchestrate their criminal enterprises under the cover of nightlife activity.
The Tren de Aragua gang, originally formed in Venezuela’s prison system, has rapidly expanded its criminal network across the Americas, engaging in drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violent crimes, thanks to Joe Biden oepn bordr.
