Colombia's President Gustavo Petro refuses to let the USA fly in migrants who are to be taken to his country.
The move prompted Trump to respond with trade tariffs of 25 percent on Colombian goods, price surcharges that will be increased to 50 percent after a week if Colombia does not back down.
"Petro's stopping of these flights endangers the USA's national security and puts the public at risk," Trump wrote on Truth Social, where he also issued a travel ban for Colombian government officials.
"This is just the beginning," Trump continued.
And shortly after, the response came: Colombia introduces punitive tariffs of 25 percent on imports from the USA.
Petro's move came a day after the Brazilian government expressed similar discontent. The criticism specifically concerned how the USA had treated a number of migrants who were taken to Brazil. The travelers were forced to wear handcuffs, which was a "flagrant violation" of fundamental rights, according to the Brazilian government.
"The USA cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I forbid American planes with Colombian migrants on board from entering our airspace," Petro wrote on X, where he also claimed that he had already forced back American military planes with Colombian migrants, without revealing further details.
The USA soured after Colombia, according to newly appointed Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, withdrew the permit for USA flights while the planes were in the air.
