The US has stated its decision to revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro's visa after he publicly urged US soldiers to disobey Donald Trump's orders during a rally in New York. The State Department condemned Petro's remarks, labeling them as 'reckless and incendiary'.
Petro was in the US for the UN General Assembly, where he previously called for an inquiry into the Trump administration's airstrikes targeting alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean. Reports indicate he was en route back to Bogota when the revocation was announced.
At the rally, Petro shared a video of himself addressing a large crowd, encouraging the formation of a 'world salvation army', whose first mission would be the liberation of Palestine. He implored US soldiers not to 'point their rifles at humanity', urging them to disobey Trump and instead 'obey the order of humanity'.
The remarks sparked strong backlash from the US government, which stated that Petra urged US military members to disobey commands and incite violence. The State Department cited this as the reason for the visa cancellation.
Colombia's Interior Minister, Armando Benedetti, criticized the decision, suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visa should have been revoked instead, asserting protection for Netanyahu by 'the empire' while Petro faced unjust consequences for his remarks.
Relations between Petro’s left-leaning administration and the Trump regime have soured significantly in recent months, particularly following Petro's public denunciation of US military action in Colombia under the guise of fighting drug trade.
Petro had condemned the airstrikes as an act of tyranny, arguing that they were not merely aimed at drug control but also sought to exert dominance over Colombia and Latin America. Allegedly, some victims of these strikes may have been Colombian nationals, a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding the narco-trafficking issues that plague the country.
This latest diplomatic spat comes in the wake of a broader context of strained US relations with other international leaders and figures, illustrated by Washington's recent denial of visas to Palestinian officials wishing to attend the UN General Assembly.
