Laura Sarabia, former director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency (DAPRE) and one of the most important collaborators of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, has been appointed to be the new head of Colombia’s Foreign Ministry.

She was released from her duties at DAPRE on January 20, when the government announced Jorge Rojas, previously deputy foreign minister, would be the new head of this office. The office of the Presidency announced her appointment as the new Foreign Minister the next day. Her responsibilities will officially begin on February 1st, but she is already working with the outgoing Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo to facilitate a smooth transition.

Murillo resigned in time to meet the legal requirements to run for political office in the next presidential election.

Murillo who has been dealing with exigencies like the passport printing contract scandal that removed former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva, the tense relations with Israel after the Gaza Strip conflict began, and the decisions of the UK and Germany to reimpose visa obligations for Colombians due to abuses of the asylum process, resigned and will leave office next Friday—ostensibly to return to academia. It should be noted however, that Murillo, a former presidential candidate who ran against Petro, resigned in time to meet the legal requirements to run for political office in the next presidential election.

Sarabia has been an important figure in Petro’s government for the last two years serving as a key communication link between ministers and the president. Her position as Petro’s right hand of the President put her into the public eye in May 2023 when a bag with a large amount of money disappeared from her residence. She accused her domestic employee, Merelbys Meza, of taking the money and allegedly forced her to take a polygraph test, This is an open investigation that precipitated her removal from government for seven months, until she returned as the head of the DAPRE.

Her new position will come with some challenges. One of the first tasks she will have is to address the situation created the past Sunday between Petro and the United States President Donald Trump, after Petro denied the entry of two flights bringing back deportees from the US. The initial response from Washington was a package of sanctions against Colombian officials and increasing the tariffs to 50% for Colombian exports, Later the same day, the sanctions were reversed after Petro agreed to Trump’s demands, however, Sarabia will have to carefully manage the diplomatic fallout from the crisis.

Sarabia will also focus her attention on the relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean, as President Petro proposes a unified position from the region against the political decisions made by Washington.

Headline photo: DAPRE Director Laura Sarabia is appointed as new Colombian Chancellor (Source: DAPRE official website)

Police officers in Medellín responded to a call on January 21 at Hostel Kiwi in the sector of Provenza in Medellín. Inside a short-term rental property, authorities found two teenage girls, aged 15 and 16, with two French men in their 30s. Police arrived to find signs of a physical altercation between one of the girls and one of the French men that left both slightly injured. The tussle seems to have been triggered when the French men realized that one of the girls tried to drug him by slipping some drops of a substance in his drink.

Right away, the situation raised concerns of child sexual exploitation, echoing similar cases in Medellín.
The Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutierrez, shared the details of the case on X/Twitter to express his rejection of sexual exploitation of children and teenagers. “Last year we increased the arrests of foreigners for this crime by 1,100%. We will continue until we eradicate the sexual exploitation of children and teenagers in Medellín,” he tweeted.

The two French nationals were arrested for crimes of commercial sexual exploitation of minors, while the minors were handed over to the ICBF (Colombian Institute of Family Welfare).

However, according to the Colombia newspaper El Tiempo, investigations by the Attorney General’s Office of Colombia revealed that the teens, who had been invited by the French men to their accommodation, took advantage of the fact that the two men were under the effects of substances to rob them and beat them, contrary to the first version that was known. El Tiempo points out that they intended to steal around $700,000 Colombian pesos (approximately $175 USD) from the foreigners.

Based on this evidence, the Attorney General’s Office charged the teens with qualified aggravated theft. The 16-year-old was placed in a juvenile detention center, while the 15-year-old was released but remains under judicial oversight. Both denied the charges. On the other side, the case against the French nationals continues, and they have not been cleared of the allegations of child sexual exploitation.

Headline Photo: Casa Kiwi Hostel, Medellin (Photo: Facebook / Casa Kiwi Hostel, Medellin)

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.”

Up until late yesterday, it was a quiet weekend, little to report, and really only the Banco de la República – Colombia meeting to look forward to on Friday, however, when you place Donald Trump and Gustavo Petro in the same hemisphere, you are never far away from a headline.

In the red corner is President Donald Trump, a man who even before he came to power was threatening the sovereignty of countries as far apart as Greenland/Denmark and Panama, and who since he was sworn in, has simply ridden roughshod over everything and everyone in his path.

Petro on the other hand, is, with the tempering of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil over the years, now the de facto head of the left in South America. I have no doubt whatsoever he was waiting for his moment to try a little ambush.

In short:

1. Over 20,000 Colombians were deported last year.
2. Reportedly, two US planes were approved to deliver more yesterday.
3. Before they reached Colombian airspace, they were turned around.
4. Petro claims it was because they were inhuman military planes as opposed to commercial planes. He even offered to send a presidential plane.
5. Trump announces 25% tariff on all goods imported, to rise to 50%. No new visas for Colombians, with Petro and his cabinet banned from travel.
6. Late last night, the foreign minister announced an agreement that has been met based on dignified travel conditions for Colombian citizens.

Lots of saber-rattling and of course the political right of Colombia was happy to be Trump’s peanut gallery, however, there are two basic points that matter.

1. In any diplomatic relationship, the due care of one’s people is priority number one. Whether they be illegal immigrants or model citizens, they have equal rights to dignified treatment.
2. Colombia needs to look hard at finding alternative markets. As the commerce minister stated, you cannot have a bilateral trade relationship based on fear. One can only imagine the panic at the local banks with comments about freezing banking activity, let alone the clients who have parked $100 million overseas.

The situation appears to be blowing over, but Colombian businesses need to have a good think. Petro may sit in the opposite corner in terms of ideology however, Trump doesn’t much care which political party you represent, if you are standing in the way of his extremist policies, you will get run over.

As for the central bank, let’s see: analysts are expecting a 25bps cut to 9.25%, however hopefully, it will be more.

Have a great week.

Roops.

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Headline Image: President Donald Trump portrait. Photo credit: Library of Congress.

Sunday afternoon, Medellín’s Mayor, Federico Gutiérrez (above, right), called emergency meetings with business leaders and the media, where he accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro of deliberately provoking a diplomatic crisis with the United States, alleging that Petro aims to isolate the country in a manner similar to Cuba and Venezuela. Gutiérrez called for a delegation of local leaders to travel to Washington, D.C., to seek resolutions and assert their opposition to Petro’s actions.

According to Gutiérrez, President Petro’s decisions have jeopardized Colombia’s longstanding partnership with the United States. “Last year, over 14,000 individuals were deported from the United States to Colombia, and the government remained silent,” Gutiérrez stated. He criticized an early morning social media message from Petro, announcing Petro’s refusal to allow planes from the United States carrying Colombian deportees detained for being in the US illegally, to land, prompting retaliatory measures from the US, including the suspension of visa services in Colombia.

The United States accounts for 30% of Colombia’s total exports, equivalent to approximately $15 billion annually, or 3% of the national GDP.

The strained relationship with the US, Colombia’s largest trading partner, has significant economic implications. Gutiérrez highlighted the US contribution to Colombia’s security, economic growth, and tourism over the past century. “Through trust and effort, Colombia became one of the United States’ main commercial allies in South America. Petro has jeopardized this relationship,” he said.

The United States accounts for 30% of Colombia’s total exports, equivalent to approximately $15 billion annually, or 3% of the national GDP. Key exports include agricultural products like coffee, avocados, and flowers, as well as gold. Antioquia alone depends on trade with the US for 33% of its exports, representing 5% of the region’s GDP.

The following Monday, Gutiérrez and Antioquia Governor Andrés Julián Rendón (above, left) met with business leaders from export-driven industries to discuss the situation. Medellín is the capital of Antioquia, one of the most economically important regions of the country. Gutiérrez emphasized the need for regional leaders to address the void left by the national government. “We are doing in the regions what Petro fails to do nationally: fostering employment, building relationships with academic institutions, and engaging with economic and civil sectors,” he said.

Severe impact on key economic sectors

Export-dependent sectors are particularly vulnerable. Coffee, Colombia’s iconic product, could face disruptions affecting 500,000 producer families. The floriculture industry, where women occupy 65% of the 140,000 direct jobs, faces potential setbacks, along with 600,000 indirect positions. Flowers constitute 78% of Colombia’s floriculture exports, with the US as the primary market.

Additionally, 281 containers of avocados destined for the US in connection with the Super Bowl hang in limbo. Rising material costs, inflation, and general uncertainty add further strain to exporters.

Appeal to the private sector

The Medellín mayor urged local trade associations to compile comprehensive reports on the economic repercussions of national government policies in Antioquia. He also called for unity among governors, mayors, and citizens opposing Petro’s approach. “We cannot allow Petro to isolate Colombia as his allies did with Cuba and Venezuela,” Gutiérrez concluded.

The current diplomatic tensions underscore the critical role of US-Colombia relations, with both economic stability and political alliances at stake. As regional leaders seek alternative solutions, the broader implications for Colombia’s economic and geopolitical future remain uncertain.

See Also: Trump Announces Immediate Sanctions Against Colombia for Petro’s Refusal To Accept Deportees

Above photo: Governor of Antioquia Andrés Julián Rendón (left) and Medellín Mayor Federico Gutierrez (photo:Alcaldía de Medellín)

US President Donald Trump, after closing visa operations at the US Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, also announced severe and immediate retaliatory measures against Colombia and its governing administration, headed by President Gustavo Petro (above photo). The move comes on the same day that Petro revoked existing authorization for flights from the US carrying Colombians deported for being in the US illegally.
At approximately 3am Sunday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued a tweet encouraging Colombians to “welcome the deportees with flags and flowers,” but then erased it three hours later, and posted a tweet announcing that he was deauthorizing the flights and the aircraft would not be permitted entry into Colombian airspace.
The same day, the US announced that it would be closing the embassy’s visa section in response, effectively halting visa issuance to Colombians and others applying through the consular section.

Trump has announced immediate 50% tariffs, financial sanctions, visa revocations and travel bans against Colombia

Then, Sunday afternoon Trump took to social media with the following message (verbatim):

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. 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!

Analysis

The fast moving battle between Trump and Petro will have unpredictable, though certainly negative results on bilateral relations. Both Petro and Trump are populists who tend to govern by impulse. This morning Petro himself went from welcoming the deportees to refusing their entry; repatriation flights are routine, and not only have been taking place from the US to Colombia throughout recent history, but Colombia also repatriates and expels both criminals and migrants in the country illegally on a regular basis. If Petro was seeking to make a point, similar to his threat last week to impose visa requirements on British subjects, it seems that he has grossly miscalculated. The US is not only Colombia’s largest trading partner, with a free trade agreement in effect, but Colombia is one of the top five recipient countries globally for US foreign aid and support.

On the other hand, Trump’s retaliation goes far beyond pressuring the Petro administration and will no doubt hurt the most pro-US segment of the Colombian population—those with international ties and trade to and from the US; also the segment of the population where Petro enjoys the weakest support. Most Colombian government officials are civil servants rather than political appointees, and not necessarily allies of Petro. “Enhanced Customs and Border Protection Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo…” could be interpreted as “hassling travelers and their baggage as they arrive,” which again, will not hurt Petro, nor his base of support among low-income and left-wing Colombians, but will affect the most pro-US / anti-Petro sector of the population, international business and leisure travelers, and those with family ties in the US.

The new crisis pits an impulsive right-wing populist against an impulsive left-wing populist. The only guarantee is that things will move both quickly and loudly.

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See also:

• US Embassy in Colombia Halts Visa Issuance After Colombian President Blocks Deportation Flights

• Colombia Threatens To Impose Visa Requirements On British Tourists & Visitors

The US Embassy in Colombia announced the suspension of its visa section, effective this Monday, January 27, 2025. This decision follows Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s refusal to allow US flights carrying deported Colombian nationals to land in the country.

With the intensification of deportation policies in President Donald Trump’s administration, two flights from California, carried out on US military C-17 aircraft and carrying about 80 Colombian migrants each, were supposed to land in Bogotá on the morning of January 26, according to NBC News.

President Petro initially announced a warm welcome of returning deportees, inviting Colombians to greet them “with flags and flowers,” via X/Twitter. However, less than an hour later the tweet was deleted, and another one was sent, emphasizing the need for the US government to implement “dignified treatment protocols” for Colombian nationals before they would be accepted back. “The United States cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I deauthorize the entry of US planes with Colombian migrants into our territory,” said Petro.

The reversal triggered a quick reaction from the US government. According to journalist Juan Camilo Merlano of popular Colombian news program Noticias Caracol, sources close to the US administration revealed plans for retaliatory measures. The immediate step was the suspension of visa services in Colombia.

“In response to President Petro’s refusal to accept two deportation flights, which he had previously approved at the highest instances of government, the US Embassy in Colombia will close its visa section starting January 27. Additional retaliatory measures will follow,” the journalist tweeted.

While no official confirmation has been issued by the US State Department, the visa suspension marks a significant blow to bilateral relations.

The deportations carried out by the United States have already sparked controversy with several Latin American leaders, as Brazil has also denounced that the US authorities have used handcuffs against Brazilian citizens on these flights, something that is not established within the conditions of a repatriation flight.

New Colombian Foreign Minister, Laura Sarabia, defended President Petro’s decision, citing concerns about the treatment of Colombian deportees. Sarabia stated that the government remains open to dialogue with the United States but emphasized the need for humane and respectful deportation protocols.

“The Colombian government reaffirms its commitment to ensuring a dignified return for our nationals. We seek respectful, humane treatment and adequate conditions, including civil and dignified transportation. We are open to dialogue with the US to verify and strengthen deportation protocols,” Sarabia stated.

Headline photo: President Gustavo Petro (Photo: Presidencia de la República)

So FITUR is coming to a close and to reiterate my previous message somewhat, it is 10 pavilions of structured chaos. I saw Roman soldiers, crusaders and all manner of indigenous dress, at times it more resembled a carnival than a business fair.

But beneath it all there was hard work being done and whilst all the pavilions were bustling, one bustled more than rest. Latin America is quite clearly in play and the multitude of countries represented weren’t going to miss a trick.

Colombia 🇨🇴 is a absolutely central to that demand for the region and it is important that it acts as a collective to harness that goodwill towards the country. My personal thanks to all who took time to sit down with me and also for the beautiful messages of support. If seaplanes were majestic in 1920, just wait and see what they can do now.

Gustavo Petro has vowed that tourism will at some point match commodities in terms of dollar revenues for Colombia, and whilst we aren’t there yet, the country is surely ahead of schedule. Cities such as Cartagena and Medellín saw YoY growth of over 20% in terms of overseas visitors, and there are expectations for more. This week at FITUR 2025 in Madrid, there was continued interest in Latin America and especially Colombia, where much of the country remains undiscovered.

Catatumbo remains an open wound as the ELN and FARC guerrillas fight it out over one of the most lucrative cocaine routes close to the Venezuelan border. Bogotá has now asked Caracas to help with the situation, but as yet there has been no formal reply.

Fedesarrollo released their first analyst survey of 2025 with an expected annual inflation reading of 4.2% (still outside the 2-4% Banco de la República – Colombia target) and an overnight rate of 7% (from the current 9.5%).GDP for 2024 has edged up to 1.8% with 2.6% for 2025.

The Peso, which closed Thursday at $4278 as the dollar, which rallied before the Trump inauguration, now appears to have priced in the ‘Golden Age’ of America.

The weather remains a quandary for IDEAM. At the same time as they were putting 46 municipalities on high alert for rain-related landslides, they were warning another 358 about the risk of drought-related forest fires.

That is all, have a wonderful day.

Regards.

Roops.

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Headline Image: President Gustavo Petro. Photo credit: Archive Presidency of Colombia.

17 alleged members of “The Furry Gang” (Los Peludos) were arrested and accused of extorting and obtaining illicit profits amounting to $1.8 billion COP per month.

In a coordinated operation between the Medellín Mayor’s Office, the National Police, and the Attorney General’s Office, 17 members of the “Los Peludos” (The Furries) Common Organized Criminal Group (COCG) were arrested. The arrests, carried out in Medellín and the northern suburb of Bello, were the result of 19 raids.

This criminal group operated under the control of the “Chatas” Organized Criminal Group (COCG), engaging in illicit activities such as monopolizing food products and propane gas. In addition, they extorted merchants, farmers, and informal vendors, demanding monthly payments ranging from $100,000 USD to $20 million USD, severely impacting the local economy.

The main leader of this criminal organization is known as “Ears” (Orejas), who has a criminal record and is currently under electronic surveillance for illicit activities related to the monopoly. It is estimated that the criminal revenues generated by “Los Peludos” reached $1.8 billion USD per month, highlighting the significant economic impact of this organization.

The Furry Gang confiscated bullets and cell phones. Photo credit: Colombia National Police.

Photo credit: Colombia National Police.