BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Visa appointments on the U.S. Embassy in Colombia had been canceled Monday following a dispute over deportation flights from the U.S. that just about became a pricey commerce warfare between the 2 nations.
Dozens of Colombians confirmed up exterior the U.S. Embassy in Bogota and had been handed letters by native employees that stated their appointments had been canceled “as a result of Colombian authorities’s refusal to just accept repatriation flights of Colombian nationals.” Others with visa appointments for Monday obtained comparable e-mail messages.
Acquiring an appointment can take as much as two years.
Tensions between Colombia and the USA escalated Sunday after President Gustavo Petro wrote an early morning message on X saying he wouldn’t permit two U.S. air drive planes carrying Colombian deportees to land within the nation. He had beforehand licensed the flights.
Petro additionally shared a video that confirmed one other group of deportees reportedly arriving in Brazil with shackles on their legs. He stated Colombia would solely settle for deportation flights when the USA had established protocols that ensured the “dignified remedy” of expelled migrants.
President Donald Trump responded with a publish of his personal on Fact Social, by which he referred to as for 25% emergency tariffs on Colombian exports to the USA, and likewise stated that the U.S. visas of Colombian authorities officers could be revoked, whereas items coming from the South American nation would face enhanced customs inspections.
In the meantime, the State Division stated Sunday it might cease issuing visas to Colombian nationals till deportation flights resumed.
Tensions decreased Sunday night time following negotiations between the nations, with the White Home saying in a statement that Colombia had allowed the resumption of deportation flights and “agreed to all of President Trump’s phrases,” together with the arrival of deportees on army flights.
Up to now, most Colombians faraway from the USA had been arriving on constitution flights organized by U.S. authorities contractors.
The White Home stated tariffs on Colombian exports could be placed on maintain, however added that visa restrictions on Colombian officers and enhanced customized inspections would stay “till the primary planeload of Colombian deportees is efficiently returned.”
The State Division has not responded to requests for touch upon the resumption of visa appointments.
Final 12 months, greater than 1.6 million Colombians traveled to the U.S. legally, in accordance with a report by the Ministry of Commerce. The report stated the USA was the highest vacation spot for Colombians touring overseas.
