Gustavo Petro confirms participation in the “emergency” meeting of Celac due to the crisis with the US | International | News

The Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, confirmed this Sunday that Next Thursday he will participate in the emergency meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) convened by her Honduran counterpart, Xiomara Castro, due to the diplomatic crisis between the South American country and the United States.

“I will personally go to Honduras to help in this meeting of Latin American presidents. They have not informed you, but in a matter of weeks I will assume the presidency of Celac, the Latin American unit,” Petro said in a message on the X social network.

Castro, who is the pro tempore president of Celac, summoned the heads of state of this organization to a meeting of “urgent nature” in which they will discuss topics such as “migration, environment and Latin American and Caribbean unity.”

The call was made by Castro a few hours after a request from Petro after not allowing the entry of two planes with deported US citizens this Sunday. as long as those people do not receive “dignified” treatment.

The Honduran president indicated that the meeting “has been scheduled in a hybrid format” and that Petro “has confirmed his participation in person in Tegucigalpa.”

In response to Petro’s decision, US President Donald Trump ordered the imposition of 25% tariffs on all Colombian products and announced that within a week “they will rise to 50%.”

He also announced travel restrictions and visa revocation for officials of Petro’s government and his party, possible economic sanctions on the country and “inspections” on Colombian citizens and goods arriving in the United States.

Petro responded with the principle of reciprocity and ordered the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Luis Carlos Reyes, to “raise import tariffs from the US by 25%,” as well as look for other destinations for national products. .

The mass deportations of migrants that the United States has initiated in the new administration of Donald Trump have been questioned by several countries, including Honduras. (YO)