The US has announced it will revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro's visa after he urged US soldiers to disobey his American counterpart Donald Trump during remarks at a rally in New York.
The State Department criticized Petro's comments at a pro-Palestinian protest, describing them as reckless and incendiary. The Colombian leader, attending the UN General Assembly, previously called for a criminal probe into the Trump administration's airstrikes targeting alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean.
Petro was en route back to Bogotá when the revocation was communicated, as reported by Colombian media.
At the rally, Petro shared videos on social media, addressing a crowd through a megaphone, where he called for forming a world salvation army dedicated to liberating Palestine. He urged US soldiers, saying, Disobey Trump's order! Obey the order of humanity! He also drew parallels to historical events, requesting that American troops direct their weapons toward tyrants instead of humanity.
The US State Department strongly condemned these remarks, claiming he incited violence and urged US soldiers to disobey orders. The announcement of the visa cancellation was communicated via social media, directly linking it to Petro's incendiary statements.
Colombia's Interior Minister, Armando Benedetti, responded on social media, suggesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have been the one to have his visa annulled instead, labeling the US actions as favoritism toward the Israeli leadership.
Tensions have been escalating between Petro and the Trump administration, particularly following the Colombian president's speech at the UN, where he criticized US strikes that he viewed as an attempt at domination rather than genuine anti-drug efforts. He stressed that many victims of these strikes might have been Colombian.
Petro characterized the airstrikes as acts of tyranny in a BBC interview, further emphasizing his position on US involvement in Colombia’s issues, particularly as Colombia is the world's leading cocaine producer. This is in direct counterpoint to the US narrative that positions its operations as anti-drug efforts.
Moreover, the US government also denied visa requests for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and numerous Palestinian officials, hindering their attendance at the UN General Assembly.
