Colombian President Gustavo Petro has strongly criticized the United States after Washington revoked his visa, accusing the Trump administration of violating international law in response to his outspoken condemnation of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Speaking on Saturday, Petro revealed that his U.S. visa had been canceled shortly after he joined a pro-Palestinian protest in New York and urged American soldiers to disobey what he described as unlawful orders from President Donald Trump.
“I no longer have a visa to travel to the United States. I don’t care. I don’t need a visa… because I’m not only a Colombian citizen but a European citizen, and I truly consider myself a free person in the world,” Petro posted on X. He added that revoking his visa “for denouncing genocide shows the U.S. no longer respects international law.”
During his appearance outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, Petro called for the creation of a global armed force tasked with liberating Palestinians. “This force has to be bigger than that of the United States,” he told demonstrators.
Israel has firmly rejected accusations of genocide, insisting its actions in Gaza are acts of self-defense.
This is not the first time a Colombian president has clashed with Washington over visa status. In 1996, former President Ernesto Samper’s visa was revoked amid allegations that his campaign had received funding from the Cali drug cartel.
Relations between Bogotá and Washington have grown increasingly strained since Trump’s return to office. Earlier this year, Petro blocked deportation flights from the U.S., prompting threats of tariffs and sanctions before the two countries reached a fragile compromise.
The visa dispute now risks deepening tensions further, as Petro positions himself as a leading critic of U.S. foreign policy while doubling down on his support for the Palestinian cause.
