US Revokes Visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro After Call for US Soldiers to Disobey Orders
The United States has announced it will revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro after he publicly called on US soldiers to disobey orders during a rally in New York. The move comes after Petro's sharp criticisms of the Donald Trump administration at the United Nations (UN) and during a separate protest, escalating tensions between the two nations.
Petro's Statements and US Response
While in New York for the UN General Assembly, President Petro accused the Trump administration of conducting "bullying" air strikes against boats in the Caribbean allegedly involved in drug trafficking. He further inflamed the situation by attending a pro-Palestine demonstration where he directly addressed American soldiers, urging them to "disobey Donald Trump's orders! Obey the orders of humanity!"
The US State Department swiftly condemned Petro's remarks as "reckless and incendiary" and announced the revocation of his visa. A statement posted on social media emphasized that Petro had urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence.
Colombia's Reaction
Colombia's Interior Minister, Armando Benedetti, criticized the decision, stating on social media platform X that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visa should be revoked instead. He argued that the US was protecting Netanyahu and punishing Petro for speaking truth to power.
Context: Deteriorating US-Colombia Relations
Relations between the United States and Colombia, particularly since the election of Gustavo Petro as Colombia's first leftist president, have been strained. Petro has been vocal in his criticism of US policies in Latin America, including the aforementioned air strikes in the Caribbean. Petro has claimed that these actions are not aimed at combating drug trafficking but are instead an attempt to exert control over Latin America.
Further Statements and Actions
In his address, Petro highlighted Colombia's status as the world's largest cocaine producer, suggesting that Colombian youth could be among those killed in the US-led operations. He advocated for the creation of a "world liberation army" with the primary mission of "liberating Palestine." He reiterated his plea to US soldiers, imploring them not to point their rifles at humanity but to disobey Trump's orders and follow the dictates of human conscience. Petro shared a video on social media showing him addressing a large crowd with a megaphone in Spanish.
Sources
This report is based on information from BBC and Guardian articles cited by Medyascope.tv. Original source article can be found here: Medyascope.tv
