The diplomatic debate on expulsion flights broadcast on social media on Sunday, threatening the once close relationship between the United States and Colombia and further exposing the concern many in Latin America about the second Trump Presidency.

The “tactic of bullying” the US to Colombia with a weapon of duties on the issue of immigrants seemed to bring about the desired result for the Trump government and was a clear example of the US president’s intentions in the context of his foreign policy.

The public dispute

Angry with how the expelled were sent back with the hands tied up On military flights, the Colombian President Gustavo Peter He returned two of the flights already in the air and headed to the Nation of South America, surprising the Trump government.

In many posts on X, he announced that it was preventing the deportation of the US military. Peter later sent a message to US Secretary of State Mark Rubiowarning: “I will never allow them to bring Colombians with handcuffs on flights. Mark, if foreign ministry officials allowed this, it would never be under my guidance. ” It was a bold position – and from which he would soon have to retreat.

The sudden rupture between the United States and Colombia, which has long been the recipient of US military aid and has so far been receiving expulsion flights, immediately has worked on an area struggling on how to respond to the new US president.

Trump has promised to deport many immigrants back to Latin American nations, carry out cross -border attacks on Mexican drug cartels, increase financial sanctions on left -wing governments in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela and Venezuela.

Some regional leaders rushed to cheered the Colombian. “Our support to President Gustavos Petros, in the worthy of defending the Rights of the Colombians and his response to the discreet treatment and blackmail with which they intend to push his people and our America,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Kanel wrote on X.

For Colombia, a country that has received billions of dollars in US help to combat the drug smuggling and of their groups All these years, defying the US openly would be like sending a strong message to the whole hemisphere. And he could have complicated the Trump government’s efforts to force other countries to follow his campaign to accept deportations, which are deeply unpopular in the area. By repeating Trump successfully, Peter could have opened the door to other regional leaders to do the same.

Already facing corruption scandals and deterioration of violence, as two Colombian fighter groups are fighting with each other and with the government, Peter may have believed that choosing a public dispute with the Trump government would provide a welcome distraction.

But Colombia’s first left -wing president, apparently did not properly appreciate how effectively the new US government would answer.

Peter did not follow the statement by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum that ‘It’s always important to have calm’ When you face Trump’s threats.

On the contrary, Peter tried to respond to Trump, writing to the US president in long posts in X, that he should not consider the Colombian “inferior” and that “I do not give my hands with white slaves”.

Scaling

“Donald Trump and the people around him, including Rubio, do not like Gustavo Peter”said Adam Eisacson, director of defense supervision of the Washington Office for Latin America.

“You can’t go out and defy us publicly in this way”he told CNN official Trump government on Sunday. “We will make sure that people know that they cannot escape by being non -serious and deceitful.”

The US is Colombia’s largest commercial partner. As the Trump government counterattacked with 25%duties, among other things, Peter retreated later on the same day – And the hopes of becoming the new flagship of a leftist Against Trumpof Latin America suddenly evaporated.

Washington’s threat of economic practices scared not only the Colombians but also other countries in the region who saw even clearer after Sunday how centrally Trump’s foreign policy will play.

Many in the area were surprised that Peter – after the launch of a diplomatic episode – had folded so quickly. However, the probability remained That a leaders’ meeting on the left -wing Clac regional organ scheduled for Thursday could rejuvenate a single bloc against Trump to repel deportations.

Conflicts between Colombia and USA have shown once again that Latin America will probably carry the weight of many Trump politicians and the rage of US officials When regional leaders try to talk.

As bitter as the incident was, the US pressure campaign seemed to achieve the desired result for the Trump government – at least for the time being.

On Monday, Colombia announced that sent her own military planes to pick up immigrants.