Colombian President Gustavo Petro's handling of a recent diplomatic dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump over deportation flights has drawn widespread domestic disapproval, according to a survey conducted by AtlasIntel for Bloomberg News. In fact, the survey revealed that Trump currently has an 8-point lead over Petro in Colombia when it comes to positive image.
According to the survey, nearly 74% of Colombians disapproved of Petro's response to the crisis, which began when he blocked U.S. military deportation flights carrying Colombian nationals. The move was a protest against what he described as the mistreatment of deportees, specifically their shackling and handcuffing. In contrast, Trump, who responded with tariff threats, received a 50% approval rating among Colombians, surpassing Petro's 42% approval, as Bloomberg reports.
The standoff was ultimately resolved after the U.S. agreed to modify its deportation protocols. The Trump administration committed to ensuring that deportees would not be handcuffed during flights, would not be photographed, and would be accompanied by Department of Homeland Security officials instead of military personnel. The first deportation flight under these new protocols arrived in Colombia shortly after the agreement.
While Petro viewed the agreement as a partial success, he continued to criticize U.S. migration policies, arguing that addressing root causes was a better approach than punitive deportations. Meanwhile, 82% of Colombians expressed a desire for closer ties with Washington in the AtlasIntel poll, highlighting concerns over the potential economic consequences of strained relations.
The tariff threat, while temporarily lifted, remains a significant concern for Colombian businesses, with 88% of Colombians fearing economic repercussions.
Petro's declining approval ratings reflect growing dissatisfaction with his administration, which faces broader challenges, including corruption and economic uncertainty.
The poll also found that 82% of Colombians want Petro to pursue closer ties to Washington, and 70% hold a positive view of the U.S. While the Andean nation has traditionally ranked as one of the US's closest allies in Latin America, that put it about 20 points ahead of the next closest nation — Brazil, with 61% and 52%, respectively — in each category.
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