US revokes Colombian President Petro’s visa after Gaza protest

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 07:03

The US revoked Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visa after he urged US soldiers in New York to disobey Trump’s orders.

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Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks during the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City, on September 23, 2025. (AFP)

The United States announced on Friday that it would revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro following remarks he made during a street protest in New York, where he called on American soldiers to disobey US President Donald Trump’s orders.

In a statement posted on X, the State Department accused Petro of attempting to “incite violence,” declaring that “earlier today, Colombian president @petrogustavo stood on a NYC street and urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence. We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.”

Petro calls for military action in New York

Speaking outside United Nations headquarters during the General Assembly meetings, Petro pointed to Trump's complicity in genocide in Gaza and urged US service members to follow “the orders of humanity” rather than presidential directives.

The Colombian president joined crowds of people protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UNGA, condemning the Israeli genocidal war and calling for military action.

“We need to create an army bigger than Israel’s and the USA. We have to respond with a war,” Petro told demonstrators.

“We need to create an army bigger than Israel’s and we have to respond with a war”

Colombian President Gustavo Petro calls for military intervention during a demonstration against Gaza genocide in New York City. pic.twitter.com/12L2ZIeTZM
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) September 26, 2025

He also demanded criminal proceedings over recent US missile strikes on vessels in the Caribbean, which he said had killed poor young fishermen rather than the alleged criminals.

Petro prioritizes principled stance over US, Israeli relations

The move marks an escalation in already strained ties between Washington and Bogota. Petro has openly condemned US policies in the region and recently suspended Colombia’s coal exports to "Israel" in protest of the ongoing war on Gaza.

The visa revocation is set to further complicate US–Colombia relations at a time when Petro has positioned himself as a leading regional voice against the Israeli war of genocide and US assistance.