Petro expels Israeli diplomats, ends free trade amid Israeli piracy

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Oct 2025 08:29
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro expels the Israeli diplomatic delegation after two Colombian nationals were detained aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla.

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Colombia's President Gustavo Petro gives a statement during a forum on democracy and multilateralism at La Moneda Palace in Santiago, Chile, on July 21, 2025. (AP)

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of "Israel’s" entire diplomatic delegation from Bogota on Wednesday, following reports that two Colombian nationals were detained by the Israeli Navy while participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) en route to Gaza.

Manuela Bedoya and Luna Barreto were among hundreds of international activists and aid workers aboard the flotilla, which organizers say was cut off 150 nautical miles off the coast. According to the Global Movement to Gaza, Israeli vessels surrounded the ships at 23:59 UTC, which the group said was “a violation of international law and the Geneva Accords.”

Petro slams Israeli international crimes

Petro reacted sharply, warning that the detention amounted to “a new international crime by Benjamin Netanyahu.”

He added that Colombia’s Free Trade Agreement with "Israel" is “immediately denounced", building on earlier calls to suspend economic ties.

“Any remaining diplomatic representatives of Israel must leave Colombian territory immediately,” Petro declared in a post on X. He also directed the Foreign Ministry to pursue legal action in Israeli courts and called on international lawyers to support Colombia’s case.

'Hitler is still alive'

In sharp criticism of Netanyahu, Petro, who had called for an international army to fight Israeli crimes at a rally in New York, said, “Hitler is alive in world politics.”

“Let us hope that the people are anesthetized,” he concluded.

Si es cierta está información, hay un nuevo crimen internacional de Netanyahu.

Han sido detenidas en aguas internacionales dos ciudadanas colombianas que estaban en actividades de solidaridad humana con Palestina

Cancillería debe hacer todas las demandas respectivas, incluso…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 1, 2025

Meanwhile, the Israeli Navy confirmed intercepting the flotilla, claiming the vessels were entering an active combat zone under a legal naval blockade. It said crews were instructed to divert to the port of Isdud and claimed that aid could be delivered to Gaza “through established and verifiable channels.”

Petro's proactive support of Palestine

The Global Sumud Flotilla, comprised of more than 40 vessels, set sail in September to deliver food, medicine, and humanitarian supplies directly to Gaza in defiance of the Israeli blockade. Despite the mission being a civilian solidarity effort, Israelis assert that the blockade is a necessary security measure, even as it targets food, essential supplies, medicine, and water.

Tensions have mounted as multiple flotilla vessels were intercepted, raided, and in some cases damaged, with dozens of activists detained. No deaths have been reported, though flotilla leaders have stressed "Israel's" use of harassment tactics, including communication jamming and drone intimidation.

President Petro has been one of "Israel’s" fiercest critics in Latin America. He has already severed diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv and banned Colombian coal exports to "Israel", denouncing the war in Gaza as genocide. His stance has led to deepening rifts with the United States, culminating in the Trump administration’s recent revocation of his US visa following pro-Palestine demonstrations outside the UN General Assembly.