South American leader’s visa revoked over defying Trump’s deportation agenda
In this DML Report…
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that the Trump administration revoked his U.S. visa, barring him from entering the country. The decision follows a January incident where Petro blocked two U.S. military flights carrying 201 deported Colombians, criticizing their treatment as undignified, with 160 individuals handcuffed on the planes. Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president and a former member of the 19th of April Movement guerrilla group, was scheduled to attend International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Washington, D.C., but Finance Minister Germán Avila will now represent Colombia instead.
The visa revocation stems from a diplomatic clash that escalated after Petro’s initial refusal to accept the deportation flights. President Donald Trump responded by threatening a 25% tariff on Colombian goods, promising to raise it to 50% if Petro did not comply, alongside visa restrictions and sanctions on Colombian officials. Petro eventually allowed the deportations but faced further repercussions with the visa cancellation, marking a significant snub as tensions over migration and trade between the U.S. and Colombia intensify.
(see more below)
This development follows a pattern of strained relations, as the Trump administration has prioritized cracking down on illegal immigration. Petro’s public criticism of U.S. deportation practices has fueled the conflict. The U.S. has not commented on the visa revocation, but the move aligns with Trump’s earlier threats of “decisive retaliatory measures” against Colombian officials.