The conditions of Trump's deportation flights spark outrage in South America

US President Trump's deportations are already facing some resistance in South America, particularly over the conditions in which the immigrants are being transported back to their countries.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro complained about the lack of "dignified conditions" and refused to accept two military deportation flights from the US.

Mr. Trump forced negotiations by imposing high tariffs, and new flights will continue. However, Mr. Petro is not the only one who has complained about the harsh conditions.

The conditions inside the first flight of Brazilian deportees of the new US Administration also caused widespread outrage in that country. 

The aircraft touched down on the final weekend of January with migrants on board experiencing severe distress, restrained with handcuffs on both their hands and feet—a commonplace protocol in U.S. deportations—amidst other stringent circumstances.

According to CNN, the Brazilian government described the treatment as “humiliating” and stated that the practice “violated the terms of the agreement with the US” for deportations.

The flight had to land in Belo Horizonte but stopped in Manaus for technical reasons. After the incident, Brazilian authorities prevented the aircraft from continuing its route for safety reasons.

The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it stopped the flight due to the “use of handcuffs and chains, the poor condition of the aircraft, and a faulty air conditioning system, among other problems.”

The government sent a Brazilian Air Force plane to complete the trip. In addition to the degrading conditions, passengers also reported aggression by US agents.

"They were handcuffed. They beat them with clubs without mercy. It was inhumane. They kicked them, throwing them to the ground. One of them put a guy in a chokehold," Luiz Fernando Caetano Costa, one of the returned immigrants, told local outlet Folha de Sao Paulo.

"Some young men started to see the children feeling unwell, asking us to deboard them. The US agents didn't let us leave. They attacked one of the boys, knocked him to the ground, and kicked him," Mario Henrique Andrade Mateus, another immigrant told the newspaper.

Several passengers on the flight reported to Portal Metrópoles that there was no food, and they were forced to go to the bathroom handcuffed. The discomfort increased without air conditioning.

“The propeller wasn’t working, the air conditioning wasn’t working. We had to open the doors. Children and elders were feeling sick. I had to climb on top of the propeller,” Carlos Vinícius de Jesus told local newspaper Metrópoles.

According to local TV Globo', the Brazilian Federal Police will investigate the allegations of aggression. The results will be forwarded to international organizations and the US Customs and Border Protection agency.

The Brazilian government has asked the White House for explanations about the events. 88 Brazilians were on board the aircraft, and some underwent forensic examinations in Manaus.

“The allegations are severe. Countries have their own migration policies, but they cannot violate human rights,” Macaé Evaristo, the Brazilian Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship, told the press.

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