After a knee-jerk tariff response from US President Donald Trump, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has backed down from a dispute over deportation flights seen as inhumane.

Petro's office announced on Sunday that the government would make the presidential airplane available in order to "facilitate the humane return of Colombian nationals."

Colombia is meanwhile engaged in active talks with the US government to reach agreements "to guarantee a minimum level of respect and humane treatment of the nationals during the deportation process."

The government in Bogotá had earlier blocked the landing of two US military aircraft carrying Colombian migrants being deported from the US.

Petro justified his decision by saying that migrants are not criminals and should be treated with dignity.

Trump responded immediately and announced punitive tariffs of 25% on all goods from Colombia that would be imported into the US. The additional tariffs were to be raised to 50% within a week.