US revokes Colombian president's visa after he takes part in protest

The United States announced on Saturday that it would revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro's visa after he participated in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York on Friday and called on US soldiers not to follow President Donald Trump's orders.

“We will revoke Petro's visa due to his irresponsible and inflammatory behavior,” the US State Department said on Platform X.

In front of the UN building, Petro called for the formation of a global armed force to “liberate the Palestinians” and urged US soldiers to “follow the orders of humanity, not those of Trump.” No statement was issued by his office.

Petro, Colombia's first left-wing president and a vocal critic of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip, had already accused Trump of “complicity in genocide” in his speech to the UN General Assembly.
Relations between the US and Colombia deteriorated after Trump took office when Petro refused to accept deportation flights.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the recognition of a Palestinian state by several Western countries at the UN, saying it sent the message that “killing Jews pays off.”

(reuters, sab)