SWEEPING CRACKDOWN
Trump declared unlawful immigration a nationwide emergency and imposed a sweeping crackdown since taking workplace final Monday. He directed the US army to assist with border safety, issued a broad ban on asylum and took steps to limit citizenship for youngsters born on US soil.
Colombia’s Petro condemned the observe on Sunday, suggesting it handled migrants like criminals. In a put up on social media platform X, Petro mentioned Colombia would welcome dwelling deported migrants on civilian planes.
“The US can not deal with Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro wrote.
Petro mentioned despite the fact that there have been 15,660 People with out authorized immigration standing in Colombia, he would by no means perform a raid to return handcuffed People to the US
“We’re the other of the Nazis,” he wrote.
Mexico additionally refused a request final week to let a US army plane land with migrants.
Trump didn’t take comparable motion in opposition to Mexico, the biggest US buying and selling associate, however has mentioned he was desirous about imposing 25 per cent duties on imports from Canada and Mexico on Feb 1 to pressure additional motion in opposition to unlawful immigrants and fentanyl flowing into the US.
The US is Colombia’s largest buying and selling associate, largely as a result of a 2006 free commerce settlement, with US$33.8 billion price of two-way commerce in 2023 and a US$1.6 billion US commerce surplus, based on US Census Bureau knowledge.
The most important US imports from Colombia that yr had been crude oil, gold, espresso, and reduce roses. High US exports to Colombia had been gasoline and different petroleum merchandise, business plane, corn, crude oil and soybeans.
“Petro’s discovering out that tweets have penalties. He isn’t (going through) a US counterpart that appears at Colombia by way of a strategic lens, as a key ally, however as a rustic to make an instance of,” mentioned Sergio Guzman, director of consultancy Colombia Danger Evaluation. Guzman added that monetary sanctions may very well be economically crippling.
Alejo Czerwonko, chief funding officer for rising markets Americas at UBS International Wealth Administration, mentioned Colombia relied on entry to the US marketplace for a couple of third of its exports, or about 4 of its GDP.
“As well as, the Petro-Trump relationship has began off on the mistaken foot, which might sign extra challenges forward,” Czerwonko instructed Reuters.
GROWING DISCONTENT
Petro’s feedback add to the rising refrain of discontent in Latin America as Trump’s week-old administration begins mobilising for mass deportations.
Brazil’s overseas ministry late on Saturday condemned “degrading remedy” of Brazilians after migrants had been handcuffed on a business deportation flight. Upon arrival, a few of the passengers additionally reported mistreatment in the course of the flight, based on native information experiences.
The airplane, which was carrying 88 Brazilian passengers, 16 US safety brokers, and eight crew members, had been initially scheduled to reach in Belo Horizonte within the southeastern state of Minas Gerais.