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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/colombian-president-responds-to-us-visa-ban-over--israel--cr">english.almayadeen.net</a>
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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Colombian president responds to US visa ban over 'Israel' criticism</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Al Mayadeen English</div>
<div class="gmail-meta-data">September 28, 2025</div>
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<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>Colombian
President Gustavo Petro dismissed the United States' revocation of his
visa as politically motivated and irrelevant to his global mobility.</p><div><ul id="gmail-content-slick-0"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
<a href="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2025/9/28/19c26a03-3162-4384-9413-5617cca526b2.jpg?v=4&width=1000" tabindex="0"><img src="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2025/9/28/19c26a03-3162-4384-9413-5617cca526b2.jpg?v=4&width=1000&preset=w650" alt="Colombia's President Gustavo Petro gives a statement during a forum on democracy and multilateralism at La Moneda palace in Santiago, Chile, Monday, July 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img"></a>
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro gives a statement during a
forum on democracy and multilateralism at La Moneda palace in Santiago,
Chile, Monday, July 21, 2025. (<em>AP </em>Photo/Esteban Felix)
</li></div></ul>
<p>Colombian President Gustavo Petro has responded defiantly to the United States\u2019 decision to <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-revokes-colombian-president-petro-s-visa-after-gaza-prote">revoke his visa</a>,
stating that he "doesn\u2019t care" and criticizing Washington for what he
called a violation of international law over his stance on the war in
Gaza.</p>
<p>\u201cI no longer have a visa to travel to the United States. I don\u2019t
care. I don\u2019t need a visa \u2026 because I\u2019m not only a Colombian citizen but
a European citizen, and I truly consider myself a free person in the
world,\u201d Petro said on social media on Saturday.</p>
<p>He added, \u201cRevoking it for denouncing genocide shows the US no longer respects international law.\u201d</p>
<p>In a separate post, the Colombian president denounced "Israel's"
crimes in Gaza by stating, "Humanity is against genocide, and in
Colombia, there was a genocide against the people when fascist
conservatives ordered the liberals to be defeated by blood and fire, and
the genocide continued afterward, allied with drug trafficking." </p>
<p>"Humanity demands an end to the crime against humanity in Gaza,"
Petro further stated. "Israelis have experienced an act of terror
against their youth at a concert, and there were deaths that shouldn't
have happened. But the response must not be a crime against humanity. We
cannot allow babies to be murdered in Gaza."</p>
<h2>'Missiles should not fall on civilian population of Gaza'</h2>
<p>The Colombian president continued to condemn US foreign policy,
attacking its tactics of war and bombing of innocent people. "Missiles
should not fall on the civilian population of Gaza. Missiles should not
fall on poor young people in the service of drug traffickers or on
farmers trying to survive. Missiles should not fall on migrants who
leave because they cannot bear poverty. Migrants are not criminals and
do not deserve the death penalty; doing so is a crime against humanity."</p>
<p>"Trump, stay away from Hitler, there's still time," Petro said. "I
prayed for the American soldiers who, on the front lines of the Battle
of the Gothic Line near Florence, the Renaissance city in Italy, died
for freedom. I prayed in their cemetery."</p>
<p><a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/colombia-s-petro-takes-jab-at-netanyahu--calls-him--criminal">Petro has been vocal in his condemnation of "Israel's"</a>
military operations in Gaza, aligning himself with international voices
accusing "Israel" of committing genocide. A recent UN inquiry supported
such claims, though "Israel" has denied all allegations, asserting its
right to self-defense.</p>
<p>During <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/unga-2025-opens-with-gaza--ukraine-wars-dominating-leaders">the UN General Assembly</a>
last Thursday, Petro addressed pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside UN
headquarters in New York. He called for the formation of a global armed
force tasked with liberating Palestinians and urged US soldiers \u201cnot to
point their guns at people. Disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the
orders of humanity.\u201d</p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-adds-colombia-to-drug-list--drawing-petro-s-rebuke">US adds Colombia to drug list, drawing Petro\u2019s rebuke</a></strong></p>
<p>In response to the visa revocation,<a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/maduro-deploys-25-000-troops-to-colombia-border--caribbean-c"> Colombia\u2019s F</a>oreign
Affairs Ministry issued a statement condemning the move as an abuse of
diplomatic tools. The ministry stated that using visa restrictions as
retaliation undermines the spirit of <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/un-sanctions-on-iran-snap-back-after-nuclear-talks-collapse">the United Nations</a>, which guarantees member states' independence and protects freedom of expression.</p>
<p>\u201cThe UN should find a completely neutral host country\u2026that would
allow the organization itself to issue authorization to enter the
territory of that new host state,\u201d the ministry said.</p>
<h2>History of US visa revocations in Colombia</h2>
<p>Gustavo Petro is not the first Colombian president to face US visa
restrictions. In 1996, then-president Ernesto Samper had his visa
canceled amid allegations that his presidential campaign received
funding from the Cali drug cartel.</p>
<p>The US State Department posted on social media that Petro\u2019s visa was revoked \u201cdue to his reckless and incendiary actions.\u201d</p>
<p>Ties between Colombia and the United States have become increasingly
strained since Donald Trump returned to office. Earlier in 2025, Petro
suspended deportation flights from the US, prompting threats of tariffs
and sanctions before both sides reached a compromise.</p>
<p>In July, both countries recalled their ambassadors after Petro
accused US officials of plotting a coup, an accusation Washington
rejected as baseless.</p>
<p>Petro also severed diplomatic ties with "Israel" in 2024 and banned Colombian coal exports to the entity.</p></div></div></div>
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