Tensions between the US and Colombia have escalated with the State Division saying it was revoking a visa for Gustavo Petro, president of the Latin American nation, after he participated in a New York protest the place he known as on American troopers to disobey President Donald Trump’s orders.
The division mentioned on social media Friday that Petro “stood on a NYC avenue and urged U.S. troopers to disobey orders and incite violence. We are going to revoke Petro’s visa as a consequence of his reckless and incendiary actions.”
Petro was visiting for the annual U.N. Basic Meeting. Throughout a close-by protest Friday over the struggle in Gaza, he mentioned “I ask all of the troopers of the US’ military, do not level your rifles towards humanity” and “disobey the orders of Trump.”
Petro returned to Colombia on Saturday as meant, in accordance with a Sept. 18 decree on the delegation of powers throughout his absence. He mentioned on X that he came upon about his visa standing upon his arrival.
The State Division didn’t reply questions on whether or not the revocation would have an effect on future visits.
Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, used a put up on X addressed to Trump to say that “worldwide regulation grants me immunity to go to the U.N. and that there ought to be no reprisals for my free opinion, as a result of I’m a free particular person.”
Petro, who has a historical past of talking off the cuff in meandering, ideologically charged speeches, additionally mentioned on social media that “I do not care” in regards to the punishment as a result of he’s additionally a European citizen. Meaning he doesn’t want a visa to journey to the U.S.
Colombia broke diplomatic ties with Israel final yr over the Israel-Hamas struggle. Petro has repeatedly described Israel’s siege of Gaza as genocide.
Colombia has lengthy been a prime U.S. ally in Latin America, cooperating carefully on the struggle towards drug trafficking. However there have been repeated clashes between Petro, a former insurgent group member, and Trump’s Republican administration.
In his Basic Meeting speech Tuesday, Petro known as for a felony investigation of Trump and different officers concerned on this month’s lethal strikes on boats within the Caribbean that the White Home has mentioned had been transporting medication. The White Home has provided scant details about how the operations got here collectively or the authorized authorities below which they had been carried out.
Earlier this yr, Petro resisted deportation flights utilizing American navy plane, resulting in a diplomatic disaster as Trump threatened to retaliate with larger tariffs and visa suspensions. The U.S. is Colombia’s largest buying and selling associate, and Petro’s authorities relented, saying it could settle for the planes.
The U.S. accused Colombia earlier this month of failing to cooperate with anti-narcotics efforts. Though the designation didn’t embody sanctions that will have slashed U.S. help to the nation, it was a pointy rebuke that annoyed Petro.
He mentioned his nation had misplaced the lives of “policemen, troopers and common residents, attempting to cease cocaine” from reaching the US.
