Colombian President, Gustavo Petro, has announced that he will not allow US deportation flights carrying Colombian migrants to enter his country’s airspace.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Petro emphasized that the United States should not treat Colombian nationals as criminals.
He insisted that these flights would only be permitted if the US created a protocol ensuring the “dignified treatment” of migrants.
Petro also mentioned that he had already halted US military planes that were en route to Colombia carrying deported migrants, though he did not provide further details.
At the time of reporting, there was no immediate confirmation from the United States regarding whether any deportation flights had been blocked.
This development follows similar criticism from Brazil, where the government condemned the treatment of Brazilian deportees on US flights, accusing the US of violating basic human rights. Brazil specifically criticized the handcuffing of the deported individuals, calling it a “flagrant disregard” for their dignity.
Petro clarified that he would allow US civilian flights carrying deported migrants as long as they were treated humanely, without being “treated like criminals.”
