Diplomatic Crisis Erupts as US Revokes Colombian President Petro’s Visa

A significant diplomatic rift has opened between the United States and Colombia following the US State Department’s decision to revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro. The move, announced late Friday, stems from what the US government has described as Petro’s “reckless and incendiary actions” while he was in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

The Incident in New York

The immediate catalyst for the visa revocation was President Petro’s appearance and remarks at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York City. Addressing a crowd outside the UN headquarters, Petro delivered comments that directly targeted the US military and the administration of President Donald Trump.

Most controversially, Petro urged US soldiers to “disobey” orders from President Trump, stating, “I ask all the soldiers of the army of the United States not to point their guns at people. Disobey the orders of [President Donald] Trump. Obey the orders of humanity!”

Additionally, the Colombian leader, Colombia’s first leftist president, called for the formation of a global army, which he suggested should be “bigger than that of the United States and Israel combined,” to enforce international justice and “liberate Palestine.” Petro also described the war in Gaza as a “genocide” and a “crime against humanity.”

State Department’s Response

The US State Department reacted swiftly and decisively to the President’s statements. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the department confirmed the visa revocation, stating, “Earlier today, Colombian president [@petrogustavo] stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence. We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.”

US officials viewed the explicit call for US military personnel to defy orders as a profound breach of diplomatic conduct and a direct threat to the chain of command, triggering the severe diplomatic measure.

Broader Context of Strained Relations

This incident is the latest flashpoint in an increasingly tense relationship between Washington and Bogotá, particularly since Petro took office in 2022.

• UN General Assembly Speech: Days before the street protest, in his formal address to the UN General Assembly, Petro had already adopted a fiercely confrontational tone toward the US. He accused President Trump of being “complicit in genocide” in Gaza and called for “criminal proceedings” against US administration officials over recent missile strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean. Petro claimed that unarmed, “poor young people” had died in the strikes, while Washington maintains the actions were part of an anti-narcotics operation.
• Drug Policy: Tensions have also flared over US counternarcotics policy. Earlier this month, the US administration placed Colombia—the world’s largest producer of cocaine—on a list of countries deemed to have failed to meet anti-narcotics agreements, though it stopped short of imposing economic sanctions.

The visa revocation, while Petro had already departed New York for Bogotá when the decision was announced, marks a significant escalation. Given that the US is Colombia’s main trading partner and a key ally in counter-drug operations, the diplomatic fallout is expected to be substantial. The provocative rhetoric from President Petro, who has positioned himself as a voice for the Global South, is likely to complicate future bilateral and multilateral engagements between the two historical allies.