Colombia expels 80 allegedly ‘criminal’ Venezuelans

Colombia on Friday expelled 80 Venezuelans, alleging they may have committed crimes in the country as President Abelardo de la Espriella moves ahead with his hardline security policies.

Days after taking office in August, the US-backed right-winger ordered the deportation of irregular migrants and people involved in criminal activities.

AFP observed buses transporting the Venezuelans, some of them with their hands tied, to a border bridge known as Tienditas.

“Among the behaviors recorded are theft, drug trafficking, extortion, criminal conspiracy, carrying bladed weapons, consumption of psychoactive substances, and disrespect for authority,” De la Espriella wrote on X.

Colombian courts had not convicted any of the individuals.

At Tienditas, immigration officials from both countries gave the group coffee, water and bread as they completed the necessary paperwork.

The people being deported reached the border city of Cucuta from Bogota by military plane, according to AFP reporters.

Several planes have landed in Cucuta for the same reason since De la Espriella took power almost three months ago, a military source told AFP.

The last one arrived from Medellin last week, carrying dozens of Venezuelans, the source added.

Around 2.8 million Venezuelan migrants live in Colombia, official figures show, over 527,000 of whom are undocumented.

Venezuela’s neighbor has received more migrants from the crisis-hit country than any other nation.

De la Espriella did not campaign on an anti-migrant message, and the Colombian right has typically promoted policies to welcome displaced Venezuelans.

But the current president has enthusiastically mimicked US leader Donald Trump’s “America First” rhetoric.

“I will not accept illegal migrants, no matter where they come from,” he said shortly after his inauguration.

Between his swearing-in and Oct 29, immigration authorities have recorded 812 expulsions and deportations of various nationalities from Colombia.

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