Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s daughter, Andrea Petro, has waded into the brief yet intense standoff between her father and former US President Donald Trump over deportations. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Petro suggested that for every Colombian deported from the US, Colombia should return an American sex tourist.
“For every Colombian deported we will return a gringo from the Poblado,” Petro, 33, wrote, using a cheeky tone in her message. She shared the post alongside a meme showing dolphins leaping through a rainbow-hued sky.
Reference to Medellín’s controversial reputation
Petro’s comment seems to refer to Medellín’s Poblado district, known for attracting US tourists seeking prostitutes.
While Andrea Petro’s post may have been intended as a playful jab, it highlights the ongoing friction between the two countries, touching on the complex dynamics surrounding illegal immigration, crime, and diplomatic relations.
Tensions escalate over deportations
The post comes amid strained relations between Colombia and the US. President Gustavo Petro had initially resisted deportation flights from the US, which had been a contentious issue with the Trump administration. However, Petro was eventually forced to reverse his stance after Trump threatened a trade war with Colombia, including imposing tariffs as high as 50%.
Deportation flights resumed following diplomatic tensions
Deportation flights between the US and Colombia resumed on Tuesday after a weekend of escalating diplomatic tensions that nearly sparked a trade war between the two nations. The controversy began when Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially blocked two US military planes carrying deported migrants, leading former President Donald Trump to threaten tariffs on Colombian exports and other sanctions.
In a last-minute agreement, Colombia relented, agreeing to accept the deported migrants. These migrants were flown back to Colombia on military flights provided by Colombia’s Air Force, with President Petro emphasising the need for dignity in the process. The military planes carrying more than 200 migrants landed in Bogotá on Tuesday.
President Petro welcomes migrants back
Upon their arrival, President Gustavo Petro took to social media to welcome the deported migrants. “They are Colombians, they are free and dignified and they are in their homeland where they are loved,” Petro wrote in a post on X. He expressed solidarity with the returning migrants, emphasising that they were not criminals, but simply individuals seeking better opportunities. “The migrant is not a criminal, he is a human being who wants to work and progress, to live life,” Petro added.
US prioritising criminal migrants
The Trump administration has prioritised the deportation of migrants with criminal records, though it has stated that anyone who entered the country illegally could be subject to deportation.
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