Colombia's Petro fires back at US over pressure to change Gaza stance
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Washington has applied mounting pressure on President Gustavo Petro, through visa revocation, diplomatic isolation, and conditional aid threats, to push Colombia into softening its stance on the Gaza genocide
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Supporters of President Gustavo Petro attend a rally, ahead of his first appearance since the United States revoked his visa, in Ibague, Colombia, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025 (AP)
Colombian President Gustavo Petro fired back at Washington on Thursday, posting on X that Colombia's peace policy is sovereign and rejecting US meddling aimed at altering Bogotá's stance on the war on Gaza.
"The Security Council does not oversee our peace policy. It is sovereign," Petro wrote. He added that UN oversight is limited to Colombia's peace process with the FARC, which his government says it is fulfilling under existing agreements.
Petro warned the US to "respect our internal affairs," condemning the "erroneous position" of America regarding narcotics, human trafficking, and now peace with the FARC, actions he accused Washington of using to coerce Colombia into changing its position on Gaza.
"What is happening in Gaza is genocide, and those responsible must be tried just as the Nazi genocidaires were in Nuremberg," he declared.
El consejo de seguridad no tutela nuestra política de paz. Está es soberana.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 3, 2025
El consejo de seguridad por declaración unilateral del estado de Colombia, tutela solo el proceso de paz con las farc, que estamos cumpliendo.
Le solicito respetuosamente al gobierno de los EEUU no… https://t.co/OHnbucaFnN
Visa Revocation and Defiance
Tensions between Bogotá and Washington have escalated sharply following the US decision to revoke Petro's visa after his fiery speech at the United Nations, where he denounced Western complicity in Gaza and urged US soldiers to "disobey orders" related to aggression against civilians.
The Colombian leader dismissed the revocation as politically motivated and accused Washington of punishing him for speaking out against war crimes.
In solidarity, Colombia's foreign minister voluntarily renounced her US visa, calling the move an affront to Colombia's national sovereignty and a reminder of the unequal treatment Latin American nations face under US pressure.
Breaking Ties with 'Israel' and Building Autonomy
Petro has been one of the most outspoken critics of Israeli actions in Gaza. Earlier this year, Colombia severed diplomatic ties with "Israel," denouncing its assault on the enclave as a campaign of collective extermination.
The decision was accompanied by a wider push to end military dependency on "Israel," beginning with the development of domestically produced rifles to replace the Israeli-made Galil rifles used by Colombian forces for decades.
The new rifles, produced by the state arms manufacturer Indumil, mark the first step in Petro's plan to achieve strategic independence in defense procurement. His administration also announced plans to phase out Israeli-made Kfir fighter jets and pursue alternative partnerships for military modernization.
Read more: Colombia unveils 'Miranda' rifle, marking break from Israeli arms
In addition to redefining Colombia’s defense posture, Petro has called for the creation of a global military framework founded on sovereignty and anti-imperialist solidarity, one that breaks from decades of US-aligned doctrine and unites nations against genocide and oppression, with its first mission focused on liberating Palestine and ending the massacre in Gaza.
