US Revokes President Petro's Visa
The United States State Department announced on September 26, 2025, its decision to revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro. This action followed remarks made by President Petro during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York, held concurrently with the United Nations General Assembly. During the event, Petro reportedly urged American soldiers to 'disobey the orders of Trump' and 'obey the orders of humanity,' while also denouncing the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN. The State Department cited 'incitement to violence and reckless rhetoric' and 'reckless and incendiary actions' as the basis for the revocation.
Wider Impact on Colombian Officials
The revocation of President Petro's visa quickly led to a broader diplomatic fallout, affecting numerous other Colombian officials. Within days, at least a dozen officials either had their US visas canceled or publicly announced their decision to renounce them in solidarity with the president.
- Angie Rodriguez, Director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency (Dapre), confirmed receiving an email from the US Embassy notifying her of her visa's revocation without specific explanation.
- Energy Minister Edwin Palma revealed that both his diplomatic and tourist visas had been invalidated, commenting on social media, 'Gaza is worth a visa.'
- Equality Minister Juan Carlos Florian also had his visa canceled.
- Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio was among the first to renounce her visa, describing it as 'an act of dignity in the face of the unacceptable decision to revoke the visa of Colombia's president.'
- Finance Minister German Avila echoed this sentiment, stating he would also stop using his US visa.
- Other officials confirmed to have lost or renounced their visas include Superintendent Cielo Rusinque and Legal Secretary Augusto Ocampo.
Escalating Diplomatic Tensions
The US decision has significantly escalated diplomatic tensions between Washington and Bogotá. Colombia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement asserting that using visa revocation as a diplomatic weapon contravenes the spirit of the UN, which safeguards freedom of expression and guarantees the independence of member states at UN events. President Petro himself dismissed the US action, stating he is also a European citizen and does not require a US visa for travel, adding, 'Revoking it for denouncing genocide shows the US no longer respects international law.'
This incident is the latest in a series of confrontations between the Petro and Trump administrations, which have previously clashed over issues such as drug control, deportation flights, and the Israel-Gaza conflict. Earlier in the year, Petro had accused Trump of being 'complicit in genocide' in Gaza during his address to the UN General Assembly. The ongoing crisis is seen as a test of the resilience of Colombia-US relations, with profound implications for bilateral cooperation on critical issues like drug trafficking, migration, and trade.
5 Comments
Raphael
Revoking visas for criticizing US policy? This sets a dangerous precedent.
Coccinella
Gaza is worth a visa. Petro's stance is courageous, US response is petty.
Michelangelo
It's understandable that the US would react to inflammatory statements, but using visa revocation as a 'diplomatic weapon' might be counterproductive. It could isolate Colombia rather than encourage dialogue.
Raphael
Petro's rhetoric was absolutely reckless. The US had every right to act.
Leonardo
The US citing 'incitement to violence' has a basis given Petro's words regarding soldiers, but the broader implication of punishing speech at the UN is concerning. There's a fine line between protecting interests and stifling dissent.