A simmering diplomatic stand-off over deportation flights spilled onto social media Sunday, threatening the once close relationship between the US and Colombia and further exposing the anxiety many feel in Latin America towards a second Trump presidency.

Colombia welcomed its first flights of deported illegal immigrants with its president heralding their return and insisting they are not criminals.

Colombia’s president tussled by tweet with President Donald Trump this weekend, pulling back from the cusp of a trade war after the White House insisted the South American nation accept deportees as part of Trump’s hardline immigration push.