By Blessing Chinagorom
The United States has suspended visa issuance at its Embassy Bogota consular section with authorization of travel sanctions on individuals and their families, who were responsible for the interference of the repatriation flight operations.
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio made this known in a statement on Sunday, following the Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s refusal to accept two repatriation flights which he said the President previously authorized.
It was reported that Colombia on Sunday turned away two U.S. military planes with migrants being deported as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown, a U.S. official said, in at least the second case of a Latin American nation refusing U.S. military deportation flights.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the practice, suggesting it treated migrants like criminals. In a post on social media platform X, Petro said Colombia would welcome home deported migrants on civilian planes, saying they should be treated with dignity and respect.
According to the statement, “Following President Petro’s refusal to accept two repatriation flights he previously authorized, Secretary Rubio immediately ordered a suspension of visa issuance at the U.S. Embassy Bogota consular section.
“Secretary Rubio is now authorizing travel sanctions on individuals and their families, who were responsible for the interference of U.S. repatriation flight operations. 
“Measures will continue until Colombia meets its obligations to accept the return of its own citizens. America will not back down when it comes to defending its national security interests”, the statement concluded.
Earlier, US President, Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. would impose wide- ranging sanctions and impose tariffs against Colombia over its refusal to accept U.S. military aircraft with migrants being deported.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the United States would slap emergency 25 per cent tariffs on all Colombian goods coming into the United States and would raise that to 50 per cent in one week.
In response, the Colombian President Gustavo Petro has offered his presidential plane to help repatriate deportees from the US who were set to arrive in the country Sunday morning, the presidency said.
“The measure responds to the government’s commitment to guarantee dignified conditions,” the presidency said in a statement, but did not provide details.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s refusal decision follows one by Mexico, which also refused a request last week to let a U.S. military aircraft land with migrants.
In the past, U.S. military aircraft have been used to relocate individuals from one country to another, such as during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Report also says Colombia accepted 475 deportation flights from the United States from 2020 to 2024, fifth behind Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador with the acceptance of 124 deportation flights in 2024.
