U.S. Revokes Visa of Colombia’s President Petro

The United States has revoked Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visa following his controversial remarks during a protest in New York. The U.S. State Department announced the decision on Friday, accusing Petro of making “incendiary” comments. During the protest, Petro urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and “obey the order of humanity.” The department said his words encouraged violence and disobedience, which led to the visa revocation. Petro had attended the UN General Assembly earlier in the week.

Petro used a megaphone to speak in Spanish to a large pro-Palestinian crowd. A translator repeated his call for nations to raise an army “bigger than that of the United States.” He then asked American soldiers not to aim their weapons at humanity. “Disobey Trump’s order!” he declared, referencing the former U.S. president. A video of the speech was shared on Petro’s social media account. His comments quickly drew international attention and criticism.

Following the announcement, a source from the Colombian president’s office confirmed Petro was flying back to Bogotá. Petro responded by noting he holds Italian citizenship and does not need a U.S. visa. While in New York, he had criticized the Trump administration during his UN speech. He also demanded a criminal inquiry into recent U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats. According to Petro, more than a dozen unarmed young people died in those strikes.

The U.S. government maintains that the strikes were part of anti-drug operations near Venezuela. Washington accuses Venezuela’s government of running a drug cartel and has sent warships to the Caribbean. This major military deployment has raised concerns about possible conflict in the region. Petro suggested that some of those killed in the strikes were Colombian. His comments further strained ties between Colombia and the U.S.

Last week, the Trump administration decertified Colombia as an ally in the drug war. Although it stopped short of imposing sanctions, relations remain tense. Petro is Colombia’s first leftist president and has openly challenged past U.S. policies. In response to the visa revocation, Colombia’s Interior Minister criticized the move. He argued that the U.S. should have targeted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu instead. The diplomatic fallout continues to grow amid heated global tensions.