Key Points:
- The US says it will revoke Petro’s visa today. He spoke at a New York protest outside the UN.
- Petro told US troops to disobey Trump’s orders in public. He urged a world force to free Palestine.
- The State Department called his words reckless and inciting. Colombia has not issued a full reply yet.
America has moved against Colombia’s head of state. The State Department says it will revoke Gustavo Petro’s visa. The move follows his New York protest speech on Friday. He spoke near the UN and drew a loud crowd.
Petro urged US troops to ignore Trump’s commands. He said, obey the orders of humanity instead. He also pushed for a world force to free Palestine. US officials called the remarks reckless and inciting today.
State Department cites protest speech, vows visa revocation
The department posted its stance on X for all. It said Petro urged troops to defy lawful orders. It said those words could spark harm and rage. Officials then said his visa would be revoked.
Petro had joined a pro-Palestine rally near the UN. He stood with a mic and spoke in Spanish. He said the new world force must be stronger. He said stronger than the United States itself.
His office did not say if he stayed in New York. Press teams in Bogotá also gave no quick reply.
UN speech draws fire, ties with Washington fray
At the UN, Petro accused Trump of genocide complicity. He asked for criminal cases over Caribbean missile strikes. He said poor youth died on those small boats. That line drew more heat from US allies and critics.
Ties with Washington have cooled since early this year. The US dropped Colombia from its drug war partner list. Each side has traded words on past flight returns. Both now brace for more strain after this visa call.
Visa debates also rose in Nigeria this week. See our US visa bans warning report for context.
Colombia’s leader kept a firm tone after the news. He wrote that he did not care about visas. He noted he could travel with his EU passport. He called himself a free man in the world.
Free speech rows also hit firms and staff this month. Airlines faced airline staff suspensions after online posts drew heat.
Officials may share more steps once legal reviews begin. Colombia weighs next moves as talks with Washington cool. For now, the visa row sets a tense tone. More news will land as both sides speak again.
