Colombian President Gustavo Petro has stepped in to dam a deportation flight from the US.
Petro, a former Marxist guerilla and vocal opponent of Donald Trump, confirmed that he had blocked the flights in a publish on the X platform.
“A migrant shouldn’t be a prison and should be handled with the dignity that each human being deserves.”
“That’s the reason I ordered the return of US navy planes carrying Colombian migrants,” Petro wrote, alongside a video of Brazilian deportees being flown out of the US on Friday.
“I can not power migrants to stay in a rustic that doesn’t need them.”
“But when that nation returns them, it should be with dignity and respect – for each them and our nation. In civilian planes, and with out treating them like criminals, we are going to welcome our compatriots.”
”Colombia deserves respect,” he added.
Petro didn’t make reference to the truth that the overwhelming majority of deportees are unlawful aliens who’ve dedicated crimes within the U.S., in addition to the unique crime of getting into the nation illegally.
Un migrante no es un delincuente y debe ser tratado con la dignidad que un ser humano merece.
Por eso hice devolver los aviones militares estadounidenses que venían con migrantes colombianos.
No puedo hacer que los migrantes queden en un país que no los quiere; pero si ese país… https://t.co/U1MmWrNio1
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 26, 2025
An official with information of the state of affairs told The Daily Wire that the U.S. Embassy in Colombia would retaliate by closing its visa part.
“In response to President Petro’s refusal to simply accept two flights of Colombian deportees, which President Petro had licensed and had been beforehand authorised on the highest ranges of presidency, U.S. Embassy Colombia is closing the visa part tomorrow,” the official stated.
Based on Reuters, Colombian authorities denied touchdown clearance for 2 U.S. navy plane, every transporting round 80 migrants.
The 2 planes had reportedly already left California when Petro revoked their permission to land.
Petro’s announcement comes after that Mexico equally blocked a flight loaded up with unlawful aliens.
Final month, Petro threatened to ship “thousands and thousands” of migrants in the direction of the U.S. border due to Trump’s threats to retake the Panama Canal.
“Till the final penalties I will probably be on the facet of Panama and the protection of its sovereignty,” he wrote on the time.
“If the brand new US authorities desires to speak enterprise, we are going to discuss enterprise, head to head, and for the advantage of our individuals, however dignity won’t ever be negotiated.”
“If he doesn’t need myriads crossing the Darien, elevated by thousands and thousands from Panama to Mexico, he should perceive that it’s going to rely upon the prosperity and freedom of our peoples.”
