The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has announced that he will not allow the entry of planes with deported citizens from the United States into the country unless they receive dignified treatment. Petro expressed his firm position that Colombian migrants should not be treated as criminals and that the United States must establish a protocol for dignified treatment before sending them back to Colombia. In a message on his social media, Petro mentioned that he had ordered the return of U.S. military planes transporting Colombian migrants.
In his statements, President Petro emphasized that migrants deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, both by the United States and by Colombia. He also requested that these individuals be sent on civilian planes, without being treated as criminals, as Colombia deserves respect.
Regarding the reaction of other governments in Latin America, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, defended Mexican migrants, stating that the United States would not be what it is without the contributions of Mexican workers. In this context, the anger of the Brazilian government is also mentioned concerning the use of handcuffs by U.S. authorities against Brazilian citizens during a deportation flight, which led the Minister of Justice and Public Security to intervene.
These decisions and immigration policies have generated controversy in the Latin American region, with the start of deportations being part of the immigration policy of President Donald Trump. Petro has publicly questioned some of Trump’s actions, labeling as dangerous the president's comment about Latin America, in which he stated that the region was not necessary for the United States.
