Petro: “There are 15,660 American citizens in Colombia irregularly”

The United States Embassy closed visa procedures for Colombians and Petro replied: “There are 15,660 American citizens in Colombia irregularly.”
At the morning of Sunday, January 26, 2025, america Embassy in Colombia determined to near the visa phase for this Monday, January 27, in accordance with President Gustavo Petro’s choice to go back two North American planes with Colombian migrants dwelling in that country.

Because of this, the president replied in his X account to the order given by way of the North American embassy, ​​and defined that North Americans who’re within the nation should entire their process.

“There are 15,660 American citizens established in Colombia irregularly. They will have to means our immigration carrier to regularize their state of affairs,” the Colombian head of state wrote on his social networks.

Likewise, the president mentioned: “I’m hoping that the discussion on Darién does now not freeze. If there is not any regularization, illegalities will building up. “We already noticed it when the United States blocked Venezuela and exploded the migratory wave.”

Likewise, the Colombian president reiterated his place of receiving Colombian voters by way of the United States govt, denouncing mistreatment by way of White Space officers. “First is the glory of Colombia and Latin The us. “Migrants are human beings and topics of rights and will have to be handled as such,” he said.

His remark generated a wave of feedback from quite a lot of political and social sectors of the rustic. Whilst some defended the president’s place, others believe that this is a choice that might hurt members of the family with the Govt of Donald Trump, and would impact the steadiness of US voters who’re in Colombian territory with their documentation up to the moment.

On this regard, the president clarified that his decision is geared toward those that have now not finished their procedures in Colombia, which is why he maintained that those that have their documentation so as will be capable to input the rustic.

“North Americans who want will also be in Colombia, I imagine in human freedom. However greater than 15,666 are abnormal and because of Colombian regulations they should regularize their keep,” Petro discussed.

In flip, the Colombian head of state said that “You’ll by no means see me burning a gringo flag or doing a “ratzia” (sic) to go back illegals in handcuffs to america,” this in connection with the criticism offered by way of the Govt of Brazil confronted with the coming of migrants to Manaus in precarious prerequisites and handcuffed.

“True libertarians won’t ever assault human freedom. We’re the reverse of the Nazis,” Petro identified in his X account.

This was once the talk over the deportation of Colombian migrants
Within the early hours of Sunday, January 26, 2025, President Gustavo Petro had denied the access of 2 airplane from america with undocumented migrants of Colombian nationality, taking into consideration that the remedy of the compatriots was once undignified.

“The United States can’t deal with Colombian migrants as criminals. I disallow the access of North American planes with Colombian migrants into our territory. The USA should determine a protocol for the dignified remedy of migrants earlier than we (SIC) obtain them,” President Petro wrote on social media on the time.

Therefore, the president justified that “a migrant isn’t a legal and should be handled with the glory {that a} human being merits,” and clarified that he would settle for the deportation of Colombians underneath the banner of dignity and recognize.

“I can’t make migrants keep in a rustic that doesn’t need them; But when that nation returns them it should be with dignity and recognize for them and for our nation. On civil planes, with out remedy of criminals, we can obtain our compatriots. “Colombia respects itself,” he discussed.

Confronted with this, america Division had ordered the closure of the visa phase from Monday, January 27, 2025 on the North American embassy in Bogotá (Colombia).

“Based on President Petro’s refusal to just accept two flights with Colombian deportees, which the president had prior to now approved and which have been licensed on the very best ranges of the federal government, america Embassy in Colombia will shut the visa phase the next day to come. Quickly, further retaliatory measures might be applied,” mentioned the North American Govt in discussion with El Tiempo.