Columbian President Appears on New York Streets to Participate in Protests, Visa Revoked by the US

The Colombian President Petro was originally in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, but he appeared on the streets of New York on Friday and joined a demonstration supporting Palestine. On September 26 (Friday), the U.S. Department of State announced that it would revoke the visa of Colombian President Petro, accusing him of "reckless and inciting behavior" during the Palestinian protest in New York.

Video released by multiple media outlets shows that the Colombian president shouted on the street, calling for the establishment of an "army to save the world, whose primary task is to liberate Palestine." He continued, saying, "At that time, countries will send well-trained and well-equipped warriors to form this great army. It must be larger than the U.S. Army." In addition, Petro shouted, "I call on all American soldiers, do not aim your guns at humans. Do not obey Trump's orders! Obey the orders of humanity!"

He also criticized the United States for using its veto power in the UN Security Council last week to block a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and allowing humanitarian aid, calling it a sign that "diplomacy has ended." He said, "Human history has repeatedly proven over thousands of years that when diplomacy reaches its end, we must move to another stage of struggle." It is reported that Petro's government had already cut ties with Israel in 2024 to protest the Gaza war.

According to information from the Colombian presidential office, Petro has left the United States and was flying back to Bogota on Friday evening. He also stated that he holds Italian nationality, and in principle, he does not need a U.S. visa to enter the United States.

Since Trump took office in January this year, relations between Colombia and the United States have deteriorated sharply. Just this Tuesday, Petro called on the United Nations General Assembly platform to initiate "criminal proceedings" against this U.S. president, due to the deadly airstrikes conducted by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea, which destroyed several ships that Washington claimed were carrying drugs. Although the United Nations New York headquarters enjoys extraterritoriality, heads of state and government leaders still need to pass through the U.S. territory to reach the United Nations General Assembly, so they must hold a U.S. visa.

Comment: Petro's participation in the pro-Palestine demonstration on the street, and the immediate revocation of his visa by the U.S.—this is both an open symbol of the rupture in U.S.-Colombia relations, as well as the inevitable cost of a weak country openly confronting the hegemonic order.

For Petro, this is all a calculated political move. As a leftist president who had already cut off diplomatic relations with Israel, he used the attention on the streets of New York to strengthen his anti-war stance, which could win the support of domestic public opinion and consolidate his influence within the Latin American anti-American camp. Even if his visa was revoked, he immediately claimed that he holds Italian nationality and does not need a U.S. visa to enter the United States, trying to dilute the deterrent effect of U.S. sanctions. This seemingly "egg against stone" approach is actually exchanging diplomatic costs for political capital, turning the U.S. hegemony suppression into his own justice label. As the Colombian Interior Minister put it, "The one whose visa should be revoked is Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu."

The future impact is clear: trade and security cooperation between the U.S. and Colombia will definitely become more strained, and Petro is likely to use the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to attract more Latin American countries to join the anti-American movement; the U.S.'s tough response this time may have preserved its face in the short term, but it has sown deeper anti-American sentiment in Latin America.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844417049617412/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.