Hundreds of US visa appointments cancelled in Colombia following spat over deportation flights

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — A dispute over deportation flights from the United States to Colombia entered its second day on Monday, with the US backing down on a threat to impose steep tariffs on Colombian goods after the South American nation agreed to accept flights of deported migrants from the US.

But while Colombia has avoided tariffs that would have a devastating effect on its economy, visa restrictions that were issued on Sunday by the US State Department are still in place.

On Monday, dozens of Colombians arrived at the US Embassy in Bogota and were handed letters by local staff that said their appointments had been cancelled “due to the Colombian government's refusal to accept repatriation flights of Colombian nationals.”

In Colombia it can take up to two years to get a visa appointment at the US embassy in Bogotá, which has also been handling visa requests from neighbouring Venezuela for several years.

Visa applicants who turned up at the embassy on Monday said they were frustrated with the new restrictions, which mean they will likely have to wait several more months for a new appointment.

“President Petro did not represent our interests,” said Elio Camelo, a US visa seeker from the city of Cali who had travelled to Bogota for his appointment.

“There is a lot of uncertainty now over what will happen next,” said Mauricio Manrique, who had his Monday morning appointment cancelled. He had travelled from Popayan, 600 km (372 miles) south of Bogota, for his appointment.

Tensions between Colombia and the United States escalated Sunday after President Gustavo Petro wrote an early morning message on X saying he would not allow two U.S. Air Force planes carrying Colombian deportees to land in the country. He had previously authorised the flights.

Petro also shared a video that showed another group of deportees reportedly arriving in Brazil with shackles on their legs. He said Colombia would only accept deportation flights when the United States had established protocols that ensured the “dignified treatment” of expelled migrants.

US President Donald Trump responded with a post of his own on Truth Social, in which he called for 25% emergency tariffs on Colombian exports to the United States, and also said that the US visas of Colombian government officials would be revoked, while goods coming from the South American country would face enhanced customs inspections.

Meanwhile, the State Department said Sunday it would stop issuing visas to Colombian nationals until deportation flights resumed.

Tensions decreased Sunday night following negotiations between the countries, with the White House saying in a statement that Colombia had allowed the resumption of deportation flights and “agreed to all of President Trump's terms,” including the arrival of deportees on military flights.

In the past, most Colombians removed from the United States had been arriving on charter flights organised by US government contractors.

The White House said tariffs on Colombian exports would be put on hold, but added that visa restrictions on Colombian officials and enhanced custom inspections would remain “until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned.”

The State Department has not responded to requests for comment on the resumption of visa appointments.

Last year, more than 1.6 million Colombians travelled to the US legally, according to a report by the Ministry of Commerce. The report said the United States was the top destination for Colombians travelling abroad.

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