WASHINGTON – The United States has revoked the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro following remarks he made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York, the State Department announced on Friday.
Washington accused Petro of “reckless and incendiary actions” after he urged US soldiers to disobey orders and instead align themselves with what he described as “the order of humanity.”
“Earlier today, Colombian president @petrogustavo stood on a NYC street and urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence. We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions,” the State Department said in a post on X.
Earlier today, Colombian president @petrogustavo stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence.We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.
Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president, spoke to a large crowd through a megaphone, calling on “nations of the world” to contribute to building an army “larger than that of the United States.” His translator relayed the speech in English.
“That is why, from here in New York, I ask all soldiers in the United States Army not to point their rifles at humanity,” Petro declared. “Disobey Trump’s order! Obey the order of humanity!”
Petro was already en route back to Bogotá from New York when the decision was announced, Colombian media reported, citing Agence France-Presse.
The controversy follows his sharp criticism earlier this week of US military actions in the Caribbean.
In an interview with the BBC, Petro described Trump administration airstrikes on boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking as “an act of tyranny,” and suggested Colombians may have been among those killed.
The Trump administration has defended the operations as part of its anti-narcotics campaign targeting vessels off the Venezuelan coast, which Washington says are connected to drug cartels backed by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Colombia’s Interior Minister Armando Benedetti condemned Washington’s decision, suggesting instead that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have faced such measures.
“But since the empire protects him, it’s taking it out on the only president who was capable enough to tell him the truth to his face,” Benedetti wrote on X.
Petro’s stance has deepened friction with Washington, where relations have deteriorated since he took office in 2022.
His government has frequently clashed with US policy in Latin America and the Middle East.
The US also denied visas this week to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 Palestinian officials, preventing them from attending the UN General Assembly in New York.
