The revocation followed remarks President Petro made during a street protest.
The State Department confirmed the decision in a post on X, stating: "Earlier today, Colombian president Gustavo Petro 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 actions in question occurred when the leftist Colombian leader joined thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the UN headquarters.
During his address, President Petro was filmed urging American service members to defy authority. According to multiple reports, he said: "I ask all the soldiers in the United States army not to point their rifles at humanity. Disobey Trump's order! Obey the order of humanity!"
The remarks came amid escalating tensions between the two countries, which have historically been strong allies.
The incident followed President Petro's formal address to the UN General Assembly earlier in the week. In that speech, he had already delivered sharp criticism toward the US, accusing President Donald Trump of being "complicit in genocide" in Gaza and calling for "criminal proceedings" against US officials over missile strikes on suspected drug-running boats in the Caribbean.
In response to the visa revocation, Colombia's Interior Minister, Armando Benedetti, wrote on X that the action was politically motivated. The minister suggested that the US was targeting Petro because he "dared to denounce the genocide against Palestine at the UN."
Colombian media reported that President Petro was already en route to Bogotá from New York on Friday night when the State Department made the announcement.
Petro is the second Colombian president whose US visa has been revoked; the first was Ernesto Samper in 1996, over alleged drug trafficking ties, according to TRT World.
Rania Umutoni
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/us-to-revoke-visa-of-colombian-president-gustavo-petro
