Colombia’s new president faces backlash over ‘inhumane’ deportation policy

Colombia's new President Abelardo de la Espriella has announced a plan to deport undocumented immigrants, a policy that has drawn criticism from opposition politicians and migrant communities. The campaign, set to begin this week, will primarily affect Venezuelans, who constitute the largest migrant population in Colombia. De la Espriella stated that the government will target individuals committing crimes and those whose status is not regularized. This move marks a departure from previous administrations that focused on creating legal immigration pathways. Critics, including Senator Ivan Cepeda, have labeled the policy as xenophobic and discriminatory, questioning its effectiveness and potential for populism. The Venezuelan diaspora fears the policy will perpetuate negative stereotypes.

Colombia's new far-right president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has ordered authorities to begin operations this week to detain and deport immigrants who are in the country irregularly or have committed crimes. This announcement, made just over two weeks into his presidency, comes as Colombia is still recovering from a major earthquake. De la Espriella, a former lawyer, stated that the operations would target those committing crimes first, followed by those without regularized status. He echoed Donald Trump's "Americans first" rhetoric with a "Colombians first" approach. Critics, including human rights activists and opposition senators, argue this policy is xenophobic and will negatively impact migrants, particularly those fleeing the crisis in Venezuela, and that the migration department may lack the resources to implement the crackdown.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered immigration raids and vowed to deport migrants without legal status, primarily Venezuelans, aiming to reduce crime. The new president, who took office three weeks ago, announced these policy changes in a video on his X account, stating that law enforcement will first target migrants committing crimes and then those without regular status. This marks a significant shift for Colombia, which had previously worked to protect Venezuelan migrants. Organizations assisting Venezuelan migrants expressed concern, highlighting that new temporary residency permits have not been issued for three years and suggesting that pathways to legal residency should be expanded instead of deporting those unable to obtain permits. Colombia's national immigration department, Migracion Colombia, stated it is currently without a director and will implement the new policies once a director is appointed.

A right-wing political wave is sweeping across Latin America, with several leaders taking power through elections and, in some cases, US influence. These newly elected right-wing presidents, including Colombia's Abelardo de la Espriella, Argentina's Javier Milei, Honduras' Nasry Asfura, and Chile's Jose Antonio Kast, are seen as aligning with Donald Trump's foreign policy goals, dubbed the "Donroe Doctrine." The article suggests this trend is not beneficial for the region's average citizens, citing potential increases in civilian casualties due to US collaboration with right-wing regimes, economic hardship from welfare cuts, and environmentally destructive projects. Many of these leaders share Trump's "tough on crime" approach and a penchant for xenophobia, which the article argues serves to distract populations from economic and rights issues.