Tensions between the USA 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 referred to as on American troopers to disobey President Donald Trump’s orders.
The division mentioned on social media Friday that Petro “stood on a NYC road and urged U.S. troopers to disobey orders and incite violence. We’ll 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 warfare in Gaza, he mentioned “I ask all of the troopers of the USA’ 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 discovered 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” concerning 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 12 months over the Israel-Hamas warfare. Petro has repeatedly described Israel’s siege of Gaza as genocide.
Colombia has lengthy been a high U.S. ally in Latin America, cooperating carefully on the combat 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 referred to as for a prison investigation of Trump and different officers concerned on this month’s lethal strikes on boats within the Caribbean that the White Home has mentioned have been transporting medicine. The White Home has provided scant details about how the operations got here collectively or the authorized authorities beneath which they have been carried out.
Earlier this 12 months, Petro resisted deportation flights utilizing American army 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 companion, and Petro’s authorities relented, saying it will 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 might have slashed U.S. help to the nation, it was a pointy rebuke that pissed off Petro.
He mentioned his nation had misplaced the lives of “policemen, troopers and common residents, attempting to cease cocaine” from reaching the USA.
