A trade standoff between the U.S. and Colombia escalated on Sunday after President Donald Trump announced a series of tariffs and sanctions against Colombia for rejecting U.S. military aircraft carrying deported migrants. Colombia, the third-largest U.S. trading partner in Latin America, quickly retaliated. Left-wing President Gustavo Petro initially threatened a 50% tariff on U.S. goods and later announced a 25% increase in tariffs on U.S. imports, reports Reuters.
The conflict stems from Colombia's refusal to accept U.S. military deportation flights, a move that Trump described as a threat to U.S. national security. In response, Trump ordered a 25% tariff on all Colombian goods entering the U.S., which will rise to 50% within a week. Additionally, he imposed a travel ban on Colombian government officials and initiated financial sanctions.
This is the second Latin American country to reject U.S. deportation flights after Mexico did the same last week. However, Trump refrained from taking action against Mexico, the U.S.'s largest trading partner, and is instead considering imposing 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting February 1 to address immigration and fentanyl concerns.
Colombia, which relies heavily on U.S. trade, particularly in crude oil, gold, and coffee, may face significant economic consequences. The U.S. is Colombia's largest trading partner, and in 2023, two-way trade reached $33.8 billion. However, experts suggest that Colombia may bear the brunt of the economic fallout from this growing diplomatic dispute.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
