Colombia joins Mexico in blocking Trump's deportation efforts
Donald Trump's plan for mass deportations of migrants from the United States is facing initial obstacles. Colombia is the latest country to refuse to accept planes carrying deportees. Previously, Mexico did not permit a US military aircraft to land on its territory.
The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, announced on Sunday that he has decided to block deportation flights from the United States. "The U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals," he stated. Thus, Donald Trump's administration is encountering significant challenges in implementing its migration plan. Mexico had already refused to allow a military aircraft with undocumented migrants on board to land.
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"A migrant is not a criminal and should be treated with the dignity a human being deserves. We will receive our nationals in civilian airplanes, without treating them as criminals. Colombia must be respected," Petro explained later on platform X.
The President of Colombia emphasized that migrants cannot be compelled to remain in a country where they are not wanted. However, if deportations occur, they should be conducted with dignity and respect for both the individuals and Colombia, utilizing civilian aircraft and avoiding criminal treatment. Under these conditions, Colombia is willing to receive its citizens, reaffirming its national self-respect.
CNN journalists noted that Donald Trump's new administration must overcome the same obstacles as its predecessors. The President of the United States and his closest associates will need to persuade other countries to return their citizens. In the past, Washington has faced challenges with this, especially with nations with which the USA has less-than-favourable relations, such as Venezuela.
"The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we accept them," wrote the President of Colombia in another post on platform X.
As CNN observed, Colombian authorities have permitted deportation flights from the United States and accepted their citizens back. Time will tell whether President Gustavo Petro's recent decisions signal a policy change in this regard or whether the authorities in Bogotá aim to compel the Trump administration to improve its treatment of immigrants.
