The United States is revoking Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visa after he delivered what officials called “reckless and incendiary” remarks at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York, the State Department announced Friday.
"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," the agency said on the U.S. social media company, X.
Petro joined demonstrators in New York, alongside British musician Roger Waters, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the U.N. General Assembly.
"What is happening in Gaza is clearly out of discussion is a genocide," Petro told the crowd, adding that Washington's veto at the U.N. Security Council had destroyed all hopes of diplomacy.
"The history showed us that once the diplomacy is over, the humanity has to come to another kind of struggle," he said.
He appealed to U.S. soldiers, urging them not to follow President Donald Trump's orders.
"From New York, I ask to all the soldiers of the USA army not to put your hands against the people," he said.
"Disobey Trump's order, obey the order of humanity," said Petro, noting U.S. soldiers who fought Hitler in Europe.
Colombia's Interior Minister Armando Benedetti wrote on X that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visa should have been revoked rather than Petro's.
"But since the empire protects him, it's taking it out on the only president who was capable enough to tell him the truth to his face."
Colombian media reports said Petro was already traveling to Bogota from New York late Friday.
The U.S. also denied visas to Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, blocking them from attending the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
