US revokes Petro’s visa for “inciting violence” and urging US soldiers to disobey Trump’s orders

The US State Department announced this morning that it was withdrawing the visa from the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, for “inciting violence” and urging US soldiers “to disobey orders” during an event in New York.

“For these reckless and provocative actions, we will revoke Petro’s visa“added the US Department of State in a message from X.

On Friday in New York, Petro asked American soldiers to disobey the mandates of their Government in order to allow a future to operate “multinational salvation army that supports the Palestinian people and whose creation he said he would propose to the United Nations Assembly.

“(That army) has to be bigger than that of the United States. Therefore, I ask all soldiers of the US Army to disobey Trump’s order. I ask you do not point your rifles against humanity”Petro cried during a demonstration in New York against the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

The Colombian president assured that this future “army” would have military personnel from different countries, although at the moment only Indonesia He has said he will support the initiative.

The proposal, supported by the figure of the HIM known as ‘Uniting for Peace’, must be supported by two thirds of the Member States in the General Assembly to be able to develop coordinated military action at the international level.

“The nations that vote in favor of this resolution will have the responsibility of configuring with their armies this great unit, a pioneer in the world, to enforce the orders of the international justice“added the Colombian president, who, according to diplomatic sources, EFE He has already left the US “as planned” to return to Bogotá.

Reactions in Colombia

After the US Government decided to revoke Petro’s visa, several Colombian politicians and businessmen have asked the president of Colombia prudence in your relationships with USA.

The first was the former president Ivan Duque (2018-2022), who has accused Petro of “playing with the dignity” of Colombia and has assured that the withdrawal of the visa is a sign of the “irrational behavior” of the head of state.

“Seeing a president play with the dignity of Colombia and a 200-year relationship with the United States shows irrational behavior. He was right Martin Luther King: ‘Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity,’” Duque wrote on his X account.

The former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe (2002-2010) He has also spoken out in X to highlight that the sanction is directed against the figure of the president and not against the country.

“Colombia thanks the noble gesture of the North American Government of directing all sanctions solely and exclusively against those who have declared themselves enemy of Colombia and the United States“Uribe highlighted.

The president of the National Association of Businessmen of Colombia (ANDI)Bruce Mac Master, has stated that “we are not taking the country’s international relations seriously and responsibly” and has warned that “the costs can be immense for all citizens and that does not seem to matter.”