“The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro wrote, noting that there were 15,660 Americans without proper immigration status in Colombia.
Mexico also refused a request last week to let a US military aircraft land with migrants.
Trump did not take similar action against Mexico, its largest trading partner, but has said he was thinking about imposing 25 per cent duties on imports from Canada and Mexico on Feb 1 over illegal immigrants and fentanyl crossing into the US.
The United States is Colombia’s largest trade and investment partner, the State Department says, and Colombia is also the US’s third-largest trade partner in Latin America.
“Petro’s finding out that tweets have consequences. He’s not faced a US counterpart that looks at Colombia through a strategic lens, as a key ally, but as a country to make an example of,” said Sergio Guzman, director of consultancy Colombia Risk Analysis, who added that financial sanctions could be potentially economically crippling.
GROWING DISCONTENT
Petro’s comments add to the growing chorus of discontent in Latin America as Trump’s week-old administration starts mobilising for mass deportations.
Brazil’s foreign ministry late on Saturday condemned “degrading treatment” of Brazilians after migrants were handcuffed on a commercial deportation flight. Upon arrival, some of the passengers also reported mistreatment during the flight, according to local news reports.
The plane, which was carrying 88 Brazilian passengers, 16 US security agents, and eight crew members, had been originally scheduled to arrive in Belo Horizonte in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais.
