The U.S. State Department announced on Friday night that it will revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visa because he “urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence” in New York City, the department said.
Newsweek reached out to the State Department via online form for additional information early Saturday morning.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration’s decision to revoke Petro’s visa marks a rare and significant diplomatic move between the two allied nations. The action follows the Colombian leader’s public calls, on U.S. soil, for American soldiers to defy presidential orders and for international intervention in the Gaza war.
The episode is unfolding against the backdrop of tense global debates over the war between Israel and Palestinians and deepening divisions over U.S. foreign policy, especially as it relates to the Middle East and Latin America. The State Department’s move could have implications for U.S.-Colombia cooperation, longstanding military and counternarcotics partnerships, and international protocols regarding foreign leaders’ conduct while visiting the United States.
What To Know
Petro, who’s in the U.S. attending the U.N. General Assembly in Manhattan, on Friday spoke to a crowd gathered outside U.N. headquarters, Reuters reports, saying, “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!”
In a post to X on Friday, the State Department said, “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.”
This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.
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