BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA — Colombian President Gustavo Petro personally welcomed a group of deported Colombian nationals arriving from the United States early Monday morning aboard a presidential plane. The arrival followed Petro’s decision to refuse two U.S. military deportation flights earlier this month, emphasizing Colombia’s commitment to treating its citizens with dignity.
“Our compatriots come from the U.S. free, dignified, without being handcuffed,” Petro said during a public statement. He said that Colombia is preparing initiatives to help reintegrate deportees, including “a productive, associative, and cheap credit plan for the migrant.”
Petro’s comments were echoed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) Sunday night, in which he announced the arrival of the deportees, describing them as “free human persons” and rejecting the criminalization of migrants.
The decision to use a presidential plane for the transport comes as part of Petro’s policy to highlight the rights and dignity of Colombians abroad and to reject U.S. military flights.
While the specifics of the reintegration programs remain under development, the president’s rhetoric marks a stark contrast to U.S. deportation practices, which often include shackling prisoners during transport.
The move has sparked debate in Colombia, with supporters applauding the president’s humanistic approach and critics questioning the long-term feasibility of the reintegration plans.