Petro Claims U.S. Revoked Visa Amidst Deportation Dispute

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has stated that U.S. officials have revoked his visa, a claim the State Department has not yet confirmed. The president made the statement during a televised cabinet meeting focused on addressing a yellow fever outbreak.

This announcement follows a previous disagreement in January between Petro and the U.S. government regarding the acceptance of deported Colombian nationals. Petro eventually conceded on the matter. During his recent statement, he humorously remarked that he could no longer travel to the U.S. because he believed his visa had been revoked. He then added a comment that could be interpreted as a jab at Donald Trump, stating he didn't need a visa and had already seen "Donald Duck" multiple times.

It remains unclear whether Petro was referring to Trump or the Disney character. Trump has been previously mocked as "Donald Duck" by others. While Petro has not met Trump, he did visit the White House in 2023 to meet with President Joe Biden.

The State Department declined to comment on the visa issue, citing the confidentiality of visa records. However, a U.S. Embassy official in Bogotá stated that no formal notification of visa revocation had been issued.

In January, the U.S. threatened escalation with Petro's government by halting new visa applications for Colombian nationals. This action was taken due to the Colombian government's refusal to accept repatriation flights of Colombian nationals. Petro had objected to the use of U.S. military AC-130s for transporting Colombians, arguing they were being treated unfairly.

Petro insisted that migrants should be treated with dignity and not as criminals. He stated that Colombia would receive its nationals on civilian airplanes. Trump responded with retaliatory measures, including potential visa sanctions and a travel ban for Colombian government officials and their supporters.

Petro later allowed deportation flights to resume but remains critical of Trump's deportation policies, particularly the removal of Venezuelan migrants. He has criticized the criminalization of all Venezuelan exiles due to the actions of the "Tren de Aragua" criminal group.

A recent analysis indicated that nearly 200,000 Colombian nationals were living in the U.S. without legal status as of 2022. The Trump administration has accelerated a mass deportation program, despite previous promises to focus on removing convicted criminals.

Trump maintains that his administration is removing dangerous criminals, while officials have amplified negative narratives about migrants. However, the deportation flights earlier this year did not appear to include individuals convicted of violent offenses. The flights included children and pregnant women. A White House press secretary stated that all migrants who did not enter the country through ports of entry are criminals.