WASHINGTON: U.S.  President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tax on imports from Colombia, which could have come at a very inconvenient time. This dispute with the South American country over accepting deportation flights started just three weeks before Valentine’s Day, when Colombia supplies a large portion of the flowers sold in the United States..

However, it seems that flower lovers won’t have to worry. On Sunday, the White House announced that Colombia had agreed to allow flights carrying deportees to land, following Trump’s threats of visa restrictions and heavy tariffs. With this development, the U.S. has decided to pause the tariffs on Colombian imports. Still, visa restrictions on Colombian officials and stricter customs inspections will stay in place until the first flight carrying deportees successfully arrives.

This decision comes after Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially refused to allow two U.S. military planes carrying deportees to land. Petro had criticized the U.S. for not treating deportees with dignity and even threatened to retaliate by increasing tariffs on U.S. goods by 25 per cent.

Late on Sunday, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo confirmed the situation had been resolved, saying, “We have overcome the impasse with the United States government. We will continue to receive deportees, ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect as citizens.”

Trade Between the U.S. and Colombia

The United States is Colombia’s largest export market, but Colombia ranks as the 26th largest goods exporter to the U.S., accounting for only 0.5 per cent of total American imports. From January to November last year, the U.S. had a USD1 billion trade surplus with Colombia. The U.S. exported USD17.2 billion worth of goods, including soybeans and cotton, while imports from Colombia totaled USD16.2 billion.

Here are Colombia’s top exports to the U.S.:

1. Flowers

The U.S. imported USD1.14 billion worth of flowers from Colombia by November 2023, surpassing the previous year’s total. Thanks to its ideal climate and soil, Colombia grows flowers like roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums year-round, especially around Bogotá. U.S. aid programs have also supported Colombia’s flower industry, creating jobs for people affected by violence.

2. Coffee

Colombia is the second-largest coffee supplier to the U.S., after Brazil. From January to November 2023, the U.S. imported USD1.4 billion worth of Colombian coffee. For decades, Colombian coffee has been promoted in the U.S. through the famous Juan Valdez advertisements, showcasing the country’s rich coffee tradition.

3. Crude Oil

Colombia’s biggest export to the U.S. is crude oil. By November 2023, the U.S. had imported 70 million barrels of Colombian crude, valued at almost USD5.4 billion. Colombia is the sixth-largest supplier of crude oil to the U.S., contributing just over 3 per cent of total oil imports.

Colombia’s oil company, Ecopetrol, is among the world’s largest companies and features on the Fortune 500 list.