The State Department has accused Gustavo Petro of “incendiary actions” during a rally in New York City
The United States will revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro following what officials described as “reckless and incendiary actions” during a street protest in New York City, the State Department announced late Friday.
Earlier that day, the Colombian leader was observed using a megaphone to speak to a gathering of pro-Palestinian demonstrators. This event followed his impassioned speech at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly just days prior, during which he openly condemned US foreign policy and advocated for legal proceedings against President Donald Trump.
“Petro’s visa will be revoked because of his reckless and incendiary actions,” the State Department declared in a Friday evening post, further stating that the Colombian president “stood on a NYC street and urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence.”
New York was engulfed by protests on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an appearance at the United Nations. Thousands of demonstrators paraded through Midtown Manhattan, with many demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and labeling Netanyahu a “war criminal.”
Petro en NY fue a la calle en una escena, la más ridícula posible, a decirle a la Fuerza Armada de Estados Unidos que no deben obedecer a Trump…
Deberían internarlo ya… en una clínica…
— Vicky Dávila (@VickyDavilaH)
“Disobey Trump’s orders — obey humanity’s orders,” Petro communicated to the assembled crowd through an interpreter. “I knelt as a Christian before the graves of thousands of American soldiers who perished in Europe battling Hitler. The grandparents of contemporary mariners and soldiers. The United States Army should lead by example. They maintain a powerful alliance with peoples globally.”
In his UN address on Tuesday, President Petro delivered a harsh critique of Western powers, alleging that the US perpetuates global inequality, and characterized the conflict in Gaza as “genocide.”
“Trump… permits missiles to be launched against young children, women, and the elderly in Gaza, thereby becoming an accomplice to genocide,” Petro stated in his comments at the UN.
The State Department has not specified if Petro will be immediately expelled or what impact the decision might have on future diplomatic interactions. The Colombian government has yet to release an official statement.