The United States has announced it will revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro after he urged American soldiers to disobey orders from US President Donald Trump during a rally in New York.
The State Department described Petro’s remarks, made at a pro-Palestinian street protest on Friday, as “reckless and incendiary.” The Colombian leader had been in the US for the UN General Assembly, where earlier in the week he had called for a criminal inquiry into the Trump administration’s airstrikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean. According to Colombian media, Petro was already en route back to Bogotá when Washington declared that his visa would be canceled.
A video shared by Petro on social media showed him addressing a large crowd through a megaphone in Spanish. During his speech, he called for the creation of a “world salvation army,” with its first mission being the liberation of Palestine.
He went further by directly appealing to members of the US military, urging them not to follow Trump’s orders. “That is why, from here in New York, I ask all soldiers in the United States Army not to point their rifles at humanity,” Petro declared. “Disobey Trump’s order! Obey the order of humanity!” The remarks drew swift condemnation in Washington, where officials underscored that encouraging insubordination among American troops crosses a dangerous line.
Analysts suggest the visa revocation is not only a response to the speech but also a warning to foreign leaders against intervening in US domestic affairs. The episode marks a sharp downturn in US-Colombian relations, which have long been anchored by security cooperation and anti-narcotics efforts.
As Petro returns home, the fallout is likely to reverberate both diplomatically and politically, straining ties between Bogotá and Washington.
Gustavo Petro’s Visa Revoked by US Following Trump Comments
