Colombia’s President Petro Dismisses US Visa Revocation Over Gaza Remarks

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has publicly dismissed the U.S. decision to revoke his visa, stating he doesn’t care and accusing Washington of disrespecting international law. The U.S. State Department took the action after Petro’s comments at a pro-Palestinian rally.

Petro’s Defiant Response

The president, who also holds European citizenship, addressed the issue on social media Saturday:

• “I no longer have a visa to travel to the United States. I don’t care. I don’t need a visa… because I’m not only a Colombian citizen but a European citizen, and I truly consider myself a free person in the world.”
• He added that revoking the visa for “denouncing genocide” demonstrates that the U.S. no longer respects international law. (This refers to a UN inquiry that found Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to genocide, which Israel denies.)

The Reason for Revocation

The U.S. State Department announced it would revoke Petro’s visa “due to his reckless and incendiary actions.”

The revocation was prompted by Petro’s address to pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside UN headquarters on Thursday. During his speech, he:

• Called for a global armed force focused on liberating Palestinians.
• Urged U.S. soldiers to “disobey the orders of Trump” and “obey the orders of humanity.”

Diplomatic Fallout

Colombia’s foreign affairs ministry criticized the use of visa revocation as a diplomatic weapon, asserting it violates the spirit of the UN, which protects freedom of expression and the independence of member states at UN events. The ministry suggested the UN should move its headquarters to a “completely neutral host country.”

This is not the first time a Colombian president has had their U.S. visa revoked; President Ernesto Samper lost his in 1996 over a drug cartel funding scandal.

Relations between the U.S. and Colombia have been tense since Donald Trump returned to office. Earlier this year, Petro briefly blocked U.S. deportation flights before a deal was reached, and in July, both nations recalled their ambassadors after Petro accused U.S. officials of plotting a coup. Petro had previously cut diplomatic ties with Israel in 2024 and banned Colombian coal exports to the country.