The president of Colombia is urging his fellow nationals living illegally in the United States to return home and contribute to the domestic economy instead.
President Gustavo Petro made the appeal via social media on Friday morning, less than a week after President Donald Trump forced him to accept repatriation flights under the threat of crippling tariffs.
“I ask undocumented Colombians in the U.S. to immediately leave their jobs in that country and return to Colombia as soon as possible,” Petro wrote on X. “Wealth is produced only by working people.”
The president promised to provide loans to returned migrants via the country’s Department of Social Prosperity — an appeal to turn economic expats into an engine for growth domestically.
“Let’s build social wealth in Colombia,” Petro wrote.
The Colombian president’s newfound enthusiasm for repatriation coincides with the quelling of tensions between his nation and the U.S., which caused the shutdown of visa programs at the American Embassy and threats of a trade war.
Petro turned away two repatriation flights entering Colombia last weekend on the grounds that passengers were not being treated with dignity and respect.
The move sparked an immediate response from Trump, who accused the “socialist president” of jeopardizing U.S. national security and public safety.
Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all Colombian goods coming into the U.S., institute a travel ban on Colombian nationals, revoke Colombian government officials’ U.S. visas, and tighten sanctions on the South American nation.
Petro promised to swing back at the Trump administration’s proposed economic punishments with his own tariffs and sanctions, but by last Sunday night, Colombia agreed to the “unrestricted acceptance” of illegal immigrants deported by the U.S. “without limitation or delay.”
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce announced Friday that “immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processing” has resumed at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, the capital of Colombia.
“Our commitment to work together with Colombia to advance our mutual interests remains steadfast,” Bruce said via social media.
Petro is facing opposition at home from Partido Liberal, one of the political parties ostensibly aligned with his government coalition, which announced this week it will now stand in opposition.
Partido Liberal announced Tuesday the decision to withdraw support for Petro’s government after two years of unsteady alliance with the current coalition, citing reasons such as ineffectual responses to organized crime, allegations of corruption, and the diplomatic standoff with the White House.
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“The crisis in Catatumbo, tensions in relations with the United States, corruption scandals and lack of governance have put the well-being and security of Colombians at risk,” the communique read. “These events are a reflection of a worrying institutional breakdown that we cannot ignore.”
The northeast region of Catatumbo is suffering a societal upheaval as two criminal syndicates jostle for control of the territory. Dozens of people have been killed in the conflict, and thousands have fled their homes.
