Petro Backs Down From Challenge To Donald Trump, Halting US – Colombia Diplomatic Crisis

Late Sunday night, US President Donald Trump lifted his threat of draconian sanctions against Colombia—traditionally the United States’ most dependable ally in South America—after Colombian President Gustavo Petro bowed to all of Trump’s demands regarding the repatriation of Colombian migrants illegally in the United States.

The US and Colombia have long cooperated on repatriation of migrants, criminals, and other detainees, with trips deporting both Colombians from the US and US citizens from Colombia. These flights have taken place routinely in previous years of Petro’s presidency. However, after a 3am tweet by Petro saying he was welcoming the next two repatriation flights from the US with “flags and flowers,” Petro erased the tweet and tweeted that he would be “deauthorizing the flights from the US” after the planes were already in the air. The move prompted immediate retaliation by the Trump administration, who announced:

• 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.

Petro that afternoon drafted a long and rather incoherent monologue addressed to Trump, complaining that he does not like to travel to the United States, that Trump is going to terminate the human species, that he will not bow to Trump, one day with a shot of whisky that he accepts despite his gastritis, he could discuss this with Trump, that he will not outstretch his hand to white slavers, that Trump is going to kill him but he will survive in his pueblo, that his people will rise up when Trump kills him, and a long list of grievances. Petro ends the note saying that he will match Trump’s 50% tariff imposition.

Complete capitulation

If Petro fancied himself a latter day “liberador” in the image of independence hero Simón Bolivar, he was leading his charge alone. Medellín’s Mayor, Federico Gutierrez immediately called a press conference denouncing Petro for political adventurism, and flatly stated that Petro doesn’t represent him. Other mayors including Bogotá’s Carlos Fernando Galán spoke out against Petro’s actions, saying “This is a grave diplomatic crisis that doesn’t benefit anyone. We call, thinking of the rights of all Colombians and the interests of Colombia, for the diplomatic relations of the country to be managed in a serious, rational and responsible manner.”

The same afternoon that Petro promised retaliatory tariffs against the US, his resistance collapsed and his administration agreed to all of Trumps demands, a resumption of the repatriation flights, gaining no concessions whatsoever for the drama and trouble.

Hours after Petro’s diatribe, the White House issued a statement saying:

“The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on US military aircraft, without limitation or delay. Based on this agreement, the fully drafted IEEPA tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement. The visa sanctions issued by the State Department, and enhanced inspections from Customs and Border Protection, will remain in effect until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned. Todays events make clear to the world that America is respected again. President Trump will continue to fiercely protect our nation’s sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States.”