He said it again. Standing before a crowd, Colombian President Gustavo Petro made another plea for the millions of Colombians living abroad—specifically those in the United States and across South America—to pack their bags. He wants them back. It isn't just a sentimental request; it’s a massive political and economic gamble.
The core of the issue is simple but heavy. For decades, Colombia has been a country people flee. They fled the FARC. They fled the paramilitaries. Lately, they’ve been fleeing an economy that feels like it’s suffocating them. But now, Petro is trying to flip the script. He’s telling the diaspora that the "Colombia of Change" is ready for them.
Does everyone believe him? Not even close.
When Petro calls migrants return Colombia, he’s touching a nerve that stretches from the Darien Gap to the streets of Queens, New York. It's a polarizing topic because the reasons people left haven't magically vanished. Security is still a nightmare in the rural departments. The peso has had a rocky few years. Yet, the President insists that the human capital—the brains and the brawn—lost to migration is the very thing needed to fix the country.
The actual math behind the plea
Let's look at the numbers because they’re staggering. Roughly 6 million Colombians live outside their borders. That is nearly 10% of the entire population. Imagine 10% of your neighbors just gone.
The economic impact is a double-edged sword. On one hand, remittances are a lifeline. In 2023 and 2024, money sent home by migrants hit record highs, often surpassing $10 billion annually. This cash keeps the lights on for millions of families in Cali, Medellín, and Bogotá. If everyone actually listened to the President and moved back, that flow of foreign currency would dry up instantly.
Petro’s argument is different. He looks at it through the lens of productivity.
He argues that Colombia is experiencing a "brain drain" that prevents the country from transitioning away from oil and coal. He wants the engineers, the tech workers, and the farmers who are currently making Florida or Spain richer to bring that expertise back to the Colombian soil. It’s an ambitious vision. It’s also incredibly difficult to execute when the minimum wage back home is a fraction of what a delivery driver makes in Chicago.
Why the timing matters in 2026
The political landscape is shifting. With the U.S. tightening its borders and the Darien Gap becoming a humanitarian catastrophe, Petro is positioning Colombia as a sanctuary for its own people. He’s essentially saying, "Don't risk your life in the jungle when you can build a life here."
But there's a disconnect.
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You see, the people crossing the Darien aren't usually the high-flying tech workers. They are people who feel they have zero options left. For them, Petro calls migrants return Colombia sounds less like a policy and more like a slogan. To make this work, the government has to provide more than just a welcome mat. They need credit lines. They need housing subsidies. They need safety.
The Venezuelan factor
You can’t talk about Colombian migration without talking about Venezuela. Colombia has hosted over 2.8 million Venezuelan migrants. It’s been a massive strain on public services, yet Colombia has been praised globally for its "Temporary Protection Status" program.
Petro’s critics point out the irony.
How can the President ask Colombians to return when the country is still struggling to integrate the millions of neighbors who arrived seeking the same thing—a better life? The infrastructure is stretched thin. Hospitals in border towns like Cúcuta are often at a breaking point. If a million Colombians suddenly returned from the U.S. or Chile, the system might just buckle.
The "Retorno Vital" and reality on the ground
The government has launched various versions of "Welcome Home" programs. They talk about tax incentives. They talk about helping "retornados" start businesses.
Honestly, the success rate is mixed.
I’ve talked to people who went back. Some found that their U.S. dollars went a long way and they could finally buy the farm they always dreamed of. Others returned and were hit by the same old "rosca" (nepotism) that made them leave in the first place. If you don’t know the right person, getting a high-paying job in Bogotá is still a mountain to climb, no matter how many degrees you earned in London or Miami.
What the critics say
Opposition leaders like Miguel Uribe Turbay or Maria Fernanda Cabal often argue that Petro’s rhetoric is a distraction. They claim that the reason people aren't rushing back is because of his own policies. They point to the uncertainty in the health sector and the rocky implementation of "Total Peace."
Is it true? Partly.
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Investment usually hates uncertainty. If you’re a migrant who has saved up $50,000, you’re going to be very careful about where you put it. If you think the country is headed toward a radical shift that might devalue your savings, you’re staying in New Jersey.
The human cost of the "American Dream"
We have to acknowledge why Petro’s call resonates with some people. The "American Dream" isn't what it used to be for many Colombians.
Life as an undocumented immigrant is brutal. It’s years of avoiding the police, working three jobs, and never seeing your parents before they pass away. Petro taps into that loneliness. He uses a vocabulary of "dignity" and "homeland." For a mother who hasn't seen her son in fifteen years, the President's words aren't about GDP—they're about Sunday dinner.
That emotional pull is powerful.
What needs to change for people to actually return
If the government is serious about this, it can't just be about speeches. It has to be about structural change.
- Security is the big one. You can't ask a family to move back to a rural area if the ELN or dissident groups are still running "paros armados" (armed strikes). Security isn't just a talking point; it's the foundation of any return policy.
- Access to Capital. Migrants often return with skills but no local credit history. Banks in Colombia are notoriously difficult. A specialized "Migrant Bank" or specific credit lines for returning citizens would be a game changer.
- Education Equivalency. It shouldn't take two years of bureaucracy to get a foreign degree recognized in Colombia. This is a massive bottleneck that keeps talented people away.
The role of the diaspora in the 2026 elections
Let's be real: there is a political angle here too. The diaspora votes. In previous elections, the overseas vote has leaned toward the right. By engaging with migrants and making them feel seen, Petro is attempting to court a demographic that has historically been skeptical of his platform.
He’s trying to show that he isn't the "radical" the media portrayed, but a leader who cares about the "Extinct Colombia" (the one living outside the borders). Whether this translates into votes—or actual plane tickets back to El Dorado airport—remains to be seen.
A different kind of migration
Interestingly, we’re seeing a rise in "digital nomads" moving to Colombia, but these are often foreigners or very wealthy expats. Petro wants the working class to return. He wants the people who are currently cleaning hotels in Cancun or picking fruit in Spain.
The struggle is that these people are often the most vulnerable. They don’t have a safety net to fall back on if the move home fails. For them, returning is a much bigger risk than it is for a software engineer.
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Actionable steps for Colombians considering a return
If you are one of the people the President is talking to, don't just jump on a plane because of a speech. You need a plan.
First, check the Colombia Nos Une portal. It’s the official government channel for migration services. They have specific tracks for "Retorno Productivo" which can help with business grants. It's not a silver bullet, but it's a start.
Second, look into the tax laws. Colombia has specific "Ley de Retorno" (Return Law) benefits that allow you to bring in household goods and even some equipment tax-free. Most people don't know this and end up paying thousands in unnecessary customs fees.
Third, secure your health insurance before you land. The Colombian healthcare system is undergoing major changes. Don't assume your foreign insurance will cover everything, and don't assume the local system will pick you up the day you arrive.
Lastly, manage your expectations. Colombia is a beautiful, vibrant, and deeply complicated place. It has improved in many ways, but the "cost of living" has also skyrocketed in cities like Medellín and Cartagena. Do the math in pesos, not just dollars.
The path forward
The conversation about Petro calls migrants return Colombia isn't going to end anytime soon. It’s a debate about the soul of the country. Is Colombia a place that exports people, or a place that harvests talent?
Right now, it’s a bit of both. The President has set the stage. He’s made the invitation. Now, the burden is on the state to make the country a place where people want to stay, not just a place they are invited to return to.
To make this a reality, the focus must shift from political rhetoric to ground-level stability. Watch the progress of the National Development Plan and the specific allocations for the Ministry of Equality. These are the indicators that will tell you if the "return" is a real possibility or just a beautiful dream.
Keep an eye on the exchange rate and the inflation markers in Bogotá. If the economy stabilizes and the "Total Peace" initiative actually reduces the homicide rate in the provinces, you might see that 10% start to trickling back. Until then, most Colombians abroad will likely keep their bags packed—but stay exactly where they are.