Bogotá, Colombia – The Colombian government has resumed repatriation flights for Colombian citizens deported from the United States, following an eight-month-long suspension.
On the night of Thursday, January 29, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported via X that deportation flights had resumed that same day.
The measure marked a U-turn in government policy viewed by some as a peace offering ahead of a high-stakes meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro scheduled for Tuesday, February 3.
“As of today, in keeping with our commitment to ensuring dignified treatment for our fellow citizens… we have resumed repatriation flights for nationals deported from the United States,” wrote the Colombian Foreign Ministry in a post on X.
President Gustavo Petro had rejected the arrival of deportation flights in January 2025, denouncing the conditions under which migrants were returned and demanding humane treatment for those being repatriated.
“A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity every human being deserves (…) We will receive our fellow citizens on civilian aircraft, without being treated as criminals. Colombia deserves respect,” Petro wrote on X on January 26, 2025.
But the rejection of flights quickly triggered a bilateral crisis, with Trump threatening 50% tariffs on Colombia and temporarily suspending visa issuance.
However, Petro soon backed down, instead assuming responsibility for the repatriation process and its costs, using official aircraft for two days. On January 28 and 29, the Colombian Aerospace Force deployed aircraft for repatriation efforts. Across the three flights, a total of 306 Colombians were returned.
“Our aviation will bring them back, and they will arrive without being handcuffed,” he wrote on January 27, 2025.
Petro also agreed to receive the U.S. planes provided that the conditions were met, using civilian aircraft, with full respect for their rights and without treating them as criminals.
“We will continue to receive Colombian men and women returning under deportation orders, guaranteeing dignified conditions and recognizing them as citizens with full rights”, the Foreign Ministry wrote in an official press release.
However, according to Colombian newspaper La Nacion, the Colombian government suspended deportation flight permits in May 2025, saying that the U.S. did not comply with the terms previously agreed upon.
Last week’s announcement of the flights’ resumption came just days ahead of a scheduled meeting between Petro and Trump in Washington, set for February 3. The meeting at the White House is seen as an opportunity for the two administrations to resolve tensions fueled by threats of military intervention in Colombia and other Latin American countries.
The Foreign Ministry also reported on January 23 that Foreign Affairs Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy held a cordial call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to prepare for the meeting on U.S. soil. To facilitate the visit, Petro was granted a temporary visa to carry out a five-day agenda in the United States.
During the call—described as “positive” by both sides—it was confirmed that Petro would be granted all the guarantees customarily extended to a visiting head of state in the United States.
Featured image description: President Petro addresses delivering a speech in September 2025.
Image credit: Colombian President’s Office.
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