Bogotá, Colombia — Colombian President Gustavo Petro has shrugged off Washington’s decision to revoke his U.S. visa, denouncing the move as evidence that the United States “no longer respects international law” and vowing to continue speaking out against what he calls “genocide” in Gaza.
Petro revealed the visa revocation himself in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, responding defiantly to the U.S. State Department’s action, which it said was linked to his “reckless and incendiary” remarks at a pro-Palestinian protest in New York earlier this month.
“I no longer have a visa to travel to the United States. I don’t care. I don’t need a visa … because I’m not only a Colombian citizen but a European citizen, and I truly consider myself a free person in the world,” Petro wrote.
The leftist leader’s comments came a day after U.S. officials confirmed that his travel privileges had been revoked, citing his rhetoric at a demonstration outside the United Nations headquarters, where he addressed thousands of protesters and vowed to introduce a resolution establishing a “World Salvation Army” tasked with the “liberation of Palestine.”
Petro, a fierce critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, has severed Colombia’s diplomatic ties with Israel and repeatedly accused its government of committing genocide. He has also condemned former U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of complicity in war crimes.
“Revoking [my visa] for denouncing genocide shows the U.S. no longer respects international law,” Petro said, insisting that as a sitting head of state, “international law grants me immunity to go to the UN.”
“Genocide is a crime against humanity, and humanity must respond, judge, and punish,” he added.
During the protest, Petro issued a direct appeal to U.S. military personnel, urging them to “disobey the orders of Trump” — whom he described as enabling atrocities — and instead “obey the orders of humanity.”
The controversy deepened during his fiery address to the UN General Assembly last week, where Petro accused Trump of being “complicit in genocide” and called for criminal proceedings against U.S. forces over air strikes on boats allegedly involved in drug trafficking. He further charged that Trump had “violated the founding principles of the UN” and suggested that the organization’s headquarters be relocated from New York to Doha, Qatar.
Washington has not issued a formal response to Petro’s latest remarks, but the revocation of a sitting president’s visa is an extraordinary diplomatic step that underscores the growing rift between Colombia’s leftist government and the United States, its traditional ally.
Despite the escalating tensions, Petro remained defiant, portraying himself as a global citizen unbound by Washington’s decisions.
“I truly consider myself a free person in the world,” he reiterated. “They cannot silence the truth.”
The dispute marks a significant downturn in U.S.–Colombian relations, historically anchored by cooperation on security, trade, and counter-narcotics. Observers say Petro’s outspoken stance on Gaza and criticism of Washington’s foreign policy could strain those ties further in the months ahead.
