International
A deported Colombian says that in the United States they did not respect his rights and received inhuman treatment
Jose Erik Montaña, one of the 201 Colombians deported from the US who arrived in Bogotá this Tuesday on two flights of the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC), said that in the North American country they did not respect their rights and received inhumane treatment.
“They want (the US Government) to blame their problems on migrants who cannot defend themselves (…) They did not give us rights, they did not tell us anything, they made us sign mandatory documents and it was horrible, it was really inhumane treatment,” Montaña told journalists when arriving at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá on a flight from El Paso (Texas).
Montaña said that he entered the United States last week fleeing the Colombian armed conflict.
His goal was to reunite in that country with his family, but once he got there he was arrested along with a Mexican and other people by the authorities.
“They handcuffed us from the hands to the ankles, the hips, we were like criminals. There were children who had to see their mothers chained as if they were drug addicts, traffickers, when they really were people who wanted a better future for their families,” said Montaña, who after being deported does not know what to do because his whole family is in the United States.
According to the Colombian Foreign Ministry, 201 people, including adults and children, arrived on the two flights, deported by the US government.
On the first flight, coming from El Paso, 91 passengers came, of whom 46 were men and 45 women, while on the second, which arrived from San Diego (California), 110 people were traveling, of them 62 men, 32 women and 16 minors.
“They are Colombians, they are free and dignified and they are in their homeland where they are loved. The migrant is not a criminal, he is a human being who wants to work and progress, live life,” said Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in a message published on the social network X in which he shared photos of citizens getting off the plane.
The Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, pointed out that the migrants were received by a delegation of the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the FAC, Migration Colombia, the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF), the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá and the Red Cross.
This is the first of the two aircraft with deportees that are expected to arrive in Bogotá today. According to the Foreign Ministry, the second plane, coming from San Diego, will land “in minutes” at El Dorado airport.
Early in the morning, Colombian President Gustavo Petro published a photo taken inside one of the planes in which the deportees are seen without handcuffs, as requested by the president, who demanded from Washington a “dignified treatment” for them.
Alexander, another of the deported Colombians, told journalists that he had arrived in El Paso 12 days ago requesting asylum, which is why he was deported this Tuesday.
“What we don’t know is why they brought us on a Colombian Air Force plane,” added Alexander, who had migrated looking for “better economic stability” and had crossed to the United States across the border with Mexico.
Although Alexander says that during the time he was detained in the United States they had him in “acceptable conditions”, he revealed that he was handcuffed and tied “by “feet, hands and waist.”
On the return flight to Colombia, he added, he received “excellent treatment.”
The Foreign Ministry said on Monday in a statement that the Government arranged these planes to bring back home “110 compatriots deported from the United States, complying with the protocols established for the dignified return and with guaranteed rights to compatriots who arrive on deportation flights.”
The Colombian president initially rejected on Sunday two planes sent by the United States with deportees, which caused the unprecedented diplomatic crisis with that North American country
Petro’s statement led US President Donald Trump to order the imposition of 25% tariffs on all Colombian products, in addition to other travel and immigration sanctions.
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%.”
However, the White House closed the crisis with Colombia over the repatriations of immigrants by assuring late on Sunday that the Government in Bogotá accepted “all the terms of President Trump” in this regard.
That includes “the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal foreigners from Colombia returned from the United States, included in military aircraft, without limitations or delays.”
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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