Inside the Colombia crisis due to Trump’s deportation

Colombia President, early Sunday, announced that he had returned to two American military planes carrying a fray from the United States, which led to an extraordinary crisis inside and outside his country, where President Trump angered and raised to his internal circle.

The friends of President Gustavo Petro – and even his strongest political opponent, former President Alvaro Urby, jumped to Telecom in Washington to help defuse the crisis that threatened to destroy the economy in Colombia and relations in the region.

Late Sunday, a few moments after the modest discussions between the two countries appeared on the verge of collapse, the White House announced that the Colombian government agreed to receive all deportations, including military aircraft. The Colombian Foreign Ministry soon said, “The dilemma has been overcome.”

“Despite the difficulties we faced, it is evidence that diplomatic channels are still the best way to sort the differences,” said Colombia’s ambassador to the United States, Daniel Garcia Benia, who was in Bogota, on Sunday.

It was part of a small group that was able for several hours to manage Mr. Petro on one line and Trump administration, through its own envoy to Latin America, Mauricio Claver Caron, at another.

On Monday, Mr. García-Peña said he hoped that “the relationship of the United States cannot only continue during this new administration” but it flourishes. But on Sunday, this possibility seemed far away.

For many participants, today it started around four in the morning with their phones constantly. Mr. Petro was only Publish a message On social media.

He said: “The United States cannot treat Colombian immigrants like criminals,” declaring that he was withdrawing a license for US military aircraft to land in Colombia.

At 9:30 am, Mr. Petro He said He had led to the return of military aircraft. (The Trump administration said that two military flights were forced to return to the United States.)

Tensions built during the day.

Mr. Trump took revenge on before Saying Colombia would have been hit by 25 percent definitions, and rose to 50 percent within days, as well as a set of financial and banking sanctions. He also stopped visas for all government officials and their partners. “These measures are nothing but the beginning,” wrote Mr. Trump.

Mr. Petro replied by saying that he would impose sanctions on the United States as well. “You will never dominate us.”

The recently appointed Colombia, Foreign Minister, Laura Sarabia, He called for “calm”.

Gustavo Bolivar, who directs social services programs for the Petro administration, said the president had reached him after Mr. Trump’s reprisal movements. He said that Mr. Bolivar shared his concerns that economic sanctions will harm the Colombian companies.

Three of the former presidents, including Mr. Urby, also offered a right -wing leader who had been inconsistent with Mr. Petro for a long time, to help move in the storm. One of the officials said that Mr. Urby had contacted Mrs. Sarabia and said mainly: We have differences with President Petro. He made a mistake. But we need to solve this. How can I help?

Mrs. Sarabia urged Mr. Urby to contact his friends in Washington, including the new Foreign Minister, Marco Rubio.

The accounts of some discussions are based on the Petro government and with the Trump administration in part on interviews with an official in the government of Mr. Petro and with a senior level official. The two officials asked not to disclose his identity to describe sensitive discussions.

Republican Senate members in the United States were also weighing, and urged the Trump administration to show restraint, according to officials.

In Colombia, members of MR. warned Petro Inner Circle that US sanctions may cause widespread damage to the country. The United States is the largest commercial partner in Colombia, as major industries such as oil, coffee and flowers are adopted in the United States market.

Mr. Petro, the former and left rebel, is already facing major challenges, including the violence eruption near the Venezuelan border that includes a rebel group. The disturbances threaten to reveal his promise to bring permanent peace to a country that has known decades of conflict.

The confrontation of Mr. Petros with the Trump administration and the immediate reactions of the president’s constitutional oath, where Latin American governments are struggling to respond to the American pressure to cooperate with measures to reduce immigration, including successive deportation. At the same time, they try to assure their citizens that they will protect their rights.

Mr. Petro announced that he was prohibiting military deportations after reports from Brazil during the weekend that 88 people were on a trip from the United States, including some families, endured the conditions that the Brazilian government described as “unacceptable” and “insulting”. The two departments reached a non -military plane that was broken and taken in emergency situations in Manus, a city in the Amazon rainforest.

Luis Gilberto Morillo, outgoing foreign minister in Colombia, who participated closely in negotiations with the US government on Sunday, said in an interview that Mr. Petro had two reasons for banning US flights. He said: “The first and most important of this was the generous treatment of the Colombians. He does not agree with people who wear handcuffs on these trips.”

He said that the other issue was the use of military aircraft.

Mr. Morello said that Mr. Petro was not fully aware of a newly changed in the framework of the Trump administration that allows the use of military aircraft to deport. In the past, migrants who are deported have been transported on commercial craft -like planes and are operated by the United States for Migration and Customs.

Mr. Garcia Benia said that Colombian officials retreated on Sunday when US officials assured them that Colombians on deportations will not be placed on handcuffs after being returned and they will be accompanied by officials of the Ministry of Internal Security, not military individuals.

They were also told that the Colombian citizens will not be photographed on flights.

Press secretary of Mr. Trump Shared pictures Last week, people are in the restrictions he leads to military aircraft. “President Trump sends a strong and clear message to the whole world: If the United States of America enters illegally, you will face serious consequences.”

Mr. Trump described the deportees as “criminals.”

The use of military aircraft to transport the people who were expelled from the United States, which Mr. Trump allowed through an executive order, as a major part of fulfilling the campaign’s promise to carry out comprehensive deportations. But the Trump administration also made it clear that it would not send military aircraft without the approval of the future state.

Acting Minister of Defense, Robert Solis, He said Military aircraft will be used to transport more than 5,000 people to reserve the American border patrol.

Two military planes He arrived on Friday In Guatemala, 160 migrants were arrested after crossing the border, including women and children.

Many Latin American governments have expressed concern about the treatment of migrants who are now deported. “What happened on this trip was a violation of rights,” said Mcai Evaristo, the Brazilian Minister of Human Rights, hours ago.

Honduras also has The need is required To protect its citizens and its president in Mexico, Claudia Xinbom, she said: “What do we ask for respect for human rights.”

Experts say that Mr. Trump’s strict response to Mr. Petro may have a chilling effect on other leaders in the region where their actions weigh.

Will Freeman, a colleague of Latin, said that Mr. Trump’s rapid threat to impose a big tariff on Colombia, which was historically the most powerful ally of the United States in the region. American studies in the Council of Foreign Relations.

Mr. Freeman said: “The previous administration, which saw that one of the concerns is likely to walk among other things, is now more careful with Colombia.” “But I believe that the fact that Trump is doing this really indicates that he sees that he is his first priority.”

Currently, Colombia appears to be determined to avoid another battle with the United States.

“We will have clear protocols, so this does not happen again,” said Morello, outgoing foreign minister, said.

The Trump administration was clearly satisfied with the results of its summary if it was a strong hostility with Colombia. “America is respected again,” she said.

While Colombia stands for a loss more than the United States if both countries have imposed a customs tariff, experts say that Colombia, which is one of the important assets of American business, can approach China, its second largest commercial partner, which creates abundance across America Latin.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Petro also escalated on Sunday, the Chinese ambassador to Colombia He said on social media The two countries “at the best moment of our diplomatic relations.”

The Colombians who were in the air were in the air on their way back to Colombia. Some were said to reach Colombia early on Monday night on a Colombian government plane.

Mr. Petro was He still publishes his opinions.

He wrote: “The solution to illegal immigration is not simply deporting and criminalizing people.

Reports previously contributed Jorge Valencia From Bogota. Federico Rios From medellín and Emiliano Rodriguez Mega From Mexico.