By Andrew Rose
America News World
September 27, 2025
In a dramatic escalation of tensions between Washington and Bogotá, the United States announced on Friday that it would revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, citing his “reckless and incendiary actions” during a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City. Petro, Colombia’s leftist leader, had urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders from President Donald Trump while addressing demonstrators outside the United Nations headquarters, further straining an already fraught relationship marked by disputes over migration, drug trafficking, and U.S. support for Israel.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro addresses .
Petro’s remarks came amid his attendance at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, where he delivered a fiery speech earlier in the week accusing Trump of being “complicit in genocide” in Gaza and calling for “criminal proceedings” against the U.S. for deadly strikes on suspected drug traffickers in international waters near South America. On Friday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the assembly, Petro joined thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters in Midtown Manhattan, including Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, who has been vocal in his criticism of Israel.
Video footage circulating on social media captured Petro speaking through a translator, passionately calling for a global military force larger than the U.S. army to “liberate Palestine” and enforce international justice. “From here, from New York, I ask all the soldiers of the army of the United States not to point their rifles at humanity,” he declared. “Disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the orders of humanity.” 13 16 He reiterated Colombia’s commitment to assembling an international army for the cause and even expressed willingness to volunteer himself for Gaza.
The U.S. State Department responded swiftly on X (formerly Twitter), condemning Petro’s words as an incitement to violence and mutiny. “Earlier today, Colombian president [Gustavo Petro] stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence,” the official post read. “We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.” 15 19 The announcement, made late Friday, caught Petro mid-departure; Colombian media reported he had already boarded a flight back to Bogotá when the news broke. 16 CNN reached out to Petro’s office and the State Department for further comment but received no immediate response.
This incident marks a low point in U.S.-Colombia relations, which have deteriorated rapidly since Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025. Historically, Colombia has been Washington’s staunchest ally in South America on security and counternarcotics efforts, but Petro—elected in 2022 as the country’s first leftist president—has repeatedly clashed with the administration. 16 18 Just weeks into Trump’s second term, Petro blocked two U.S. military flights carrying deported Colombian migrants, accusing the U.S. of treating them as criminals; Colombia later relented and assisted in their return using its own aircraft.
Tensions boiled over further last week when the Trump administration decertified Colombia for failing to meet drug control obligations—the first such move in decades—though it stopped short of imposing economic sanctions. 16 20 Petro has decried U.S. naval deployments in the Caribbean, including strikes on boats suspected of Venezuelan drug trafficking that he claims may have killed Colombians. 17 In April, amid rising frictions over migration and diplomacy, Petro speculated that his own visa might already have been revoked.
Petro’s outspoken stance on Gaza has also fueled the rift. Last week, an independent U.N. inquiry concluded for the first time that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza—a finding vehemently denied by Israel’s government. 12 Petro has positioned himself as a fierce critic, aligning with a growing chorus of nations, including France, Britain, Australia, and Canada, that have recognized a Palestinian state—moves that have irked the U.S. and Israel. 18 Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti fired back on X late Friday, arguing that Netanyahu’s visa should have been revoked instead, given the International Criminal Court’s warrant for his arrest over Gaza atrocities.
U.S. lawmakers echoed the State Department’s outrage. Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott decried Petro’s comments as a call for a “coup against POTUS,” tweeting, “Get Petro & his communist thugs the hell out.” 21 Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Gimenez, both Florida Republicans with ties to Latin American issues, called the visa revocation “more than deserved,” accusing Petro of letting “guerrilla instincts” override diplomacy.
The revocation is unprecedented in modern U.S.-Colombian history, stripping a sitting head of state of entry privileges and signaling a potential chill in bilateral ties. 20 As Colombia grapples with its role as the world’s top cocaine producer and a key U.S. trading partner, analysts warn that further fallout could include tariffs or reduced aid, exacerbating economic pressures in the Andean nation. 17 18 On X, reactions poured in, with users hailing the move as a bold stand against foreign interference in U.S. military affairs, while others decried it as overreach amid global calls for Palestinian justice.
As Petro returns home, the episode underscores the volatile intersection of U.S. domestic politics, hemispheric security, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With Trump’s administration doubling down on immigration crackdowns and anti-drug campaigns, and Petro vowing to push a U.N. resolution for a “world salvation army” to free Palestine, reconciliation appears distant. For now, the visa revocation stands as a stark reminder: in the era of Trump 2.0, words carry weight—and consequences.