Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) recently reflected on his roots amid the ongoing conflict between President Donald Trump and Colombia President Gustavo Petro. During a recent interview, he revealed that he was born in Colombia and became a naturalized U.S. citizen at 18. While expressing deep affection for his home country and its people, Moreno emphasized that Colombians profoundly respect the United States and its newest commander-in-chief, Trump. However, he pointed out a growing frustration with the nation’s current leadership. Moreno highlighted the widespread discontent among Colombians, including political and business leaders, who condemned Petro's actions, calling them "totally outrageous.”
“I love Colombia. I have relatives that live there. And by the way, Colombians love America. They don't love their current president...what you saw yesterday was that the people of Colombia, political leaders, business leaders, rallied in support of President Trump, denouncing Pedro's actions, which are totally outrageous,” Moreno said.
His comments came after Petro refused to deport flights from the U.S., which resulted in Trump threatening Colombia with a 25 percent tariff increase on all Colombian goods entering the U.S., which was set to increase to 50 percent within a week. Trump also threatened to institute travel bans and visa revocations targeting Colombian government officials. In response, Petro attempted to turn the table on Trump and threaten him with a 50 percent tariff on U.S. goods.
However, it took just minutes for Petro to back down and say he would not start accepting flights from the U.S.
Moreno recently announced he would introduce new legislation to impose sanctions on Colombia. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fl.) and Byron Donalds (R-Fl.) joined the Ohio senator in his announcement. It is unclear what the legislation would entail, but said that it would be unveiled next week.
“This week I will introduce legislation to impose new sanctions on Colombia for refusing @realDonaldTrump’s migrant repatriation flights,” Moreno wrote on X.
This week I will introduce legislation to impose new sanctions on Colombia for refusing @realDonaldTrump’s migrant repatriation flights.
— Bernie Moreno (@berniemoreno) January 26, 2025
Proud to be joined by my colleagues @SenatorTimScott @realannapaulina & @ByronDonalds
With Petro being the country’s first leftist president, Colombians have mixed feelings about him but have become increasingly polarized. Residents in the country are concerned about his left-wing policies, which may impact the country’s economy, security, and international relations. Several public protests have occurred against Petro, accusing him of overreaching with his reforms and failing to live up to campaign promises. Some Colombians are frustrated by his approach to security and drug violence, as well. They cited that his policies haven't addressed the growing concerns of criminal organizations and drug cartels.
