Colombia's new president faces backlash over 'inhumane' deportation policy

Bogota, Colombia – President Abelardo de la Espriella's administration is facing significant backlash for its newly announced plan to deport foreign nationals living irregularly in Colombia. The policy, unveiled during a security council meeting on Sunday, has been decried as "inhumane" by opposition politicians and migrant communities.

The crackdown, ordered to begin as soon as this week, is expected to primarily impact Venezuelans, who constitute the largest migrant population in Colombia. This approach marks a sharp departure from previous administrations, which had focused on creating legal pathways for individuals fleeing hardship in neighboring Venezuela. President de la Espriella, inaugurated earlier this month, declared, "I will not accept any illegal immigrants, wherever they come from. They will have to leave and be deported. It is a political decision I am taking responsibility for."

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I will not accept any illegal immigrants, wherever they come from. They will have to leave and be deported. It is a political decision I am taking responsibility for.

The far-right president stated that his government would initially target undocumented individuals committing crimes, followed by those whose residency status has not been regularized. While specific nationalities were not explicitly mentioned, approximately 95 percent of Colombia's migrant population is Venezuelan, according to the OECD. Around 2.8 million Venezuelans reside in Colombia, representing the largest Venezuelan migrant community globally. Although nearly 2 million hold a Temporary Protection Permit (PPT), an estimated 500,000 lack legal permission to be in the country, with many having had expired temporary permits.

De la Espriella, a political newcomer, had pledged to address illegal immigration during his presidential campaign. His stance aligns with right-wing leaders like former U.S. President Donald Trump, who also implemented deportation campaigns. The announcement has ignited strong opposition, with leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda, who narrowly lost the presidency in June, accusing de la Espriella of adding "xenophobia to all the authoritarian, despotic and discriminatory traits of his policies." Cepeda further criticized de la Espriella for targeting migrants within Colombia while allegedly failing to protect Colombian deportees from the United States.

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Today, de la Espriella has added xenophobia to all the authoritarian, despotic and discriminatory traits of his policies.