The US Department of State announced on Friday that it will revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, citing his actions of inciting violence and urging US soldiers to disobey orders during his protest in New York.
Petro joined demonstrators, including British musician Roger Waters, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly. Speaking to the crowd, Petro condemned the situation in Gaza and urged US soldiers, saying, “Disobey Trump’s order, obey the order of humanity.”
The State Department described Petro’s actions as “reckless and incendiary” and confirmed the visa revocation on X (formerly Twitter). In response, Colombia’s Interior Minister Armando Beneditti criticised the decision, stating that Petro was punished for denouncing what he called the genocide against Palestinians at the UN.
Petro was reportedly traveling back to Bogota from New York following the incident. The US also reportedly denied visas to Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing them from attending the UNGA.
During the UNGA session, Netanyahu delivered a strong speech against granting Palestinian statehood, comparing it to al-Qaeda receiving a state near New York after 9/11. He argued that such recognition would embolden attacks on Israelis and global Jews, even as he acknowledged the 157 countries that have already recognized Palestine. Netanyahu also stressed ongoing peace efforts with Lebanon and Syria despite regional conflicts.
Meanwhile, Abbas reiterated Palestine’s commitment to peace and cooperation with the US, Saudi Arabia, France, and the UN, emphasizing that Palestinians “would never leave their homeland.”
