Staff Reports
Xiomara Castro, the President of Honduras, is scrambling to wipe the egg off her face after Colombia’s leader, Gustavo Petro, got caught in what can only be described as a diplomatic “who’s got the bigger tariff?” showdown with former President Donald Trump. The drama started when Trump threatened to slap a whopping 25 percent tariff on Colombian goods in retaliation for Petro’s refusal to accept deportation flights for illegal immigrants—a classic case of a country trying to play hardball without the cards.
In an effort to regain some composure and maybe even save face, Castro called for an emergency meeting of Latin American and Caribbean leaders. It seems she felt that gathering everyone together to discuss migration, unity, and environmental matters could distract from the embarrassing back-and-forth that had just unfolded. The upcoming meeting, scheduled to occur on January 30, is set to be held in a hybrid format, which probably translates to “let’s pretend we’re united while secretly avoiding camera time.”
BREAKING: The President of Honduras just called an emergency meeting of all Latin American and Caribbean countries to figure out how to cope with President Trump after Colombia's tactics completely BACKFIRED.
An inside official told me the meeting was called "by instruction of… pic.twitter.com/HVXVO41Yff
— George (@BehizyTweets) January 27, 2025
Capitulating under the pressure of Trump’s hard-hitting threats, Petro initially tried to flex a little muscle of his own by proposing a 50 percent tariff on U.S. goods. But within minutes, he reversed course faster than a politician next to a camera, agreeing to accept deportation flights after all. This flip-flop was met with disbelief and derision, suggesting that the Colombian president may not be quite as bold or as tactically sound as he thought—just another day in Latin American politics.
Undoubtedly, Trump’s influence remains a topic of conversation, even if he is no longer in office. One has to wonder how Biden would have handled this mess. The reality is that under Biden, Latin American nations would likely feel empowered to push the U.S. around, while Trump’s straightforward approach showcases a different dynamic—one where threats of tariffs lead to immediate changes in policy.
Meanwhile, the agenda for Castro’s meeting reads more like a cry for help than a clear plan of action. Though they are ostensibly gathering to discuss pressing issues, one can’t shake the thought that what they really need to address is their apparent lack of spine—and, perhaps, the inability to stand firm against the U.S. The world is watching, and even if the meeting ends in unity, it’s clear that some leaders are still operating under the shadow of American influence—albeit with a very real sense of embarrassment.
