• Colombia’s President Gusto Petro has announced that he will not allow US deportation flights carrying Colombian migrants to enter the country’s airspace.
• Petro stated that the US must treat migrants with dignity and respect, and not as criminals.
• The decision comes after Brazil expressed outrage over the treatment of its deported citizens by the US.

Colombia’s left-wing President Gustavo Petro has taken a strong stance against the US, announcing that he will not permit US deportation flights carrying Colombian migrants to enter the country’s airspace. Petro emphasized that the US must treat migrants with dignity and respect, and not as criminals.

In a statement on social media platform X, Petro declared, “The United States cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I forbid entry to our territory to US planes carrying Colombian migrants.” He added that US planes would only be allowed to enter Colombian airspace if Washington creates a protocol ensuring the “dignified treatment” of migrants.

Petro’s decision comes on the heels of Brazil’s government expressing outrage over the treatment of its deported citizens by the US. The Brazilian government condemned the US for handcuffing migrants on a deportation flight, calling it a “flagrant disregard” for their basic rights.

It’s worth noting that Petro has stated that he will allow civilian US flights carrying deported migrants to enter Colombian airspace, as long as they are not treated “like criminals.”