U.S. Revokes Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s Visa After Pro-Palestinian Rally Comments
The United States has announced it will revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visa after he participated in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey former President Donald Trump’s orders.
The State Department stated on X, “We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.”
The protest took place outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan on Friday, Sept. 26. During his speech to pro-Palestinian demonstrators, Petro called for a global armed force prioritizing the liberation of Palestinians, saying, “This force has to be bigger than that of the United States.” He also directly addressed U.S. soldiers in Spanish: “Disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the orders of humanity.”
It remains unclear whether Petro is still in New York, as Reuters could not confirm his location, and neither his office nor Colombia’s foreign ministry responded to immediate requests for comment.
The announcement comes amid intense international debate over the Gaza war. The Trump administration has cracked down on pro-Palestinian voices, while countries including France, Britain, Australia, and Canada have recognized Palestinian statehood. Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president and a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, previously addressed the U.N. General Assembly, accusing Trump of being “complicit in genocide” and calling for “criminal proceedings” over U.S. missile attacks on suspected drug-running vessels in Caribbean waters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the U.N., denouncing Western recognition of Palestinian statehood, claiming it sends the message that “murdering Jews pays off.” Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, following an October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, has killed over 65,000 Palestinians, displaced the population of Gaza, and taken hundreds hostage. Human rights experts have labeled the violence as genocide, a claim Israel denies, asserting the war is defensive.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was also denied a U.S. visa to travel to New York, prompting controversy over Washington’s obligations under the 1947 U.N. headquarters agreement, which generally requires the U.S. to allow foreign diplomats access. The U.S. has defended such visa denials citing security, extremism, and foreign policy reasons.
U.S.-Colombia relations have been tense since Petro took office in 2022. Shortly after Trump returned to the presidency, Petro initially refused to accept deportees under Trump’s immigration policies, criticizing their treatment of Colombian citizens, before reversing course to avoid trade conflicts. Trump also recently placed Colombia on a list of countries failing to uphold counter-narcotics agreements.
Petro’s ambitious domestic strategies, including social and military interventions to reduce coca-growing regions, have seen limited success, adding further strain to Colombia’s relations with the U.S.
Related Posts
