The US State Department has decided to revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro. This action follows his disregard for directives from President Donald Trump and remarks he made during pro-Palestinian protests in New York City.
On Friday, the State Department stated, “Today, President of Colombia @Petrogstavo stood in NYC and encouraged US soldiers to act against orders. We will withdraw Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary behavior.”
Petro, who was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, participated in a pro-Palestinian rally earlier that day. While speaking to a Spanish-speaking crowd, he declared, “We must form an army stronger than American and Israeli forces,” and mentioned plans to propose a UN resolution aimed at establishing a Palestinian state.
In his remarks, Petro drew parallels between what he described as the Israeli massacre in Gaza and the Holocaust. He also addressed American soldiers directly during the speech.
The day before, Petro participated in a gathering of leftist leaders from Latin America and Spain at the UN General Assembly, where he said, “We defend democracy and fight extremism.” This event was organized by Chilean President Gabriel Borik to bolster conservative movements globally, touching on issues leaders deemed as “risks,” notably without inviting President Trump. At the rally, Petro criticized Trump’s UN speech, accusing him of perpetuating “lies” and inciting “fear” regarding topics such as climate change, women’s rights, and migration.
This recent appearance marks another incident in a series of controversial statements Petro made at the UN earlier this week. On Tuesday, he accused Trump of enabling “murder” through US military actions against drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean, claiming that most drug traffickers are “blonde and blue-eyed.” He also called for an international criminal case against Trump.
Petro, who is barred constitutionally from re-election in Colombia’s 2026 presidential race, has been a vocal critic of US foreign policy, especially concerning Israel and drug control measures. In 2024, he severed Colombia’s ties with Israel.
Recently, Petro warned, “The bomb that falls in Gaza will also fall here,” in reference to Colombia. In addition, his Minister of Equality, Juan Carlos Florian, who has a background in adult entertainment, faced a temporary legal hurdle in his appointment due to Colombian gender parity laws.
