Less than nine hours after President Donald Trump threatened to slap punishing tariffs on Colombia, the nation’s communist president, Gustavo Petro, agreed to take back all illegal aliens returned from the United States.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the news late Sunday night, shortly after Petro caved to all of Trump‘s demands.
“The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay,” Leavitt said in a statement posted on X.
“Based on this agreement, the fully drafted IEEPA [International Emergency Economic Powers Act] tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement.”
Trump has ordered all tariffs and sanctions to remain in place “until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned.”