News update
The Colombian leader was filmed joining thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters outside UN headquarters in New York.
The United States Department of State has said it will revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, citing his “reckless and incendiary actions” in relation to a speech he gave to protesters outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
“Earlier today, Colombian president [Gustavo Petro] stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence,” the department said in a post on X on Friday.
Earlier today, Colombian president @Petrogustavo stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence.
We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.
— Department of State (@StateDept) September 27, 2025
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The post did not provide specific details on Petro’s alleged offence, but footage circulated on social media showed the Colombian leader joining thousands of pro-Palestine protesters outside the UN building in Midtown Manhattan.
In one video clip, Petro can be heard saying his country plans to present a resolution to the UN seeking to establish an “army for the salvation of the world” whose first job would be the “liberation of Palestine”.
In an unofficial translation of his speech to protesters, Petro said that world nations will contribute soldiers to the army, which will “enforce the orders of international justice” and must be “larger” than the US military.
“I ask all of the soldiers of the army of the US not to point their guns at humanity. Disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the orders of humanity,” the Colombian leader said.
🇨🇴🇵🇸 In New York, the president”https://twitter.com/petrogustavo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”> @Petrogustavotogether with the British musician,”https://twitter.com/rogerwaters?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@rogerwatersaccompanied the demonstration in support of Palestine.
There, the president announced that he will present to the UN a resolution that seeks the creation of an “army of salvation of the world”, …”https://t.co/qBzEVEP0xT”>pic.twitter.com/qBzEVEP0xT
– Colombia Presidency 🇨🇴 (@infoPresidencia)”https://twitter.com/infopresidencia/status/1971671391557898362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 26, 2025
Translation: In New York, President @PetroGustavo, along with the British musician @rogerwaters, accompanied the demonstration in support of Palestine. There, the leader announced that he would present to the UN a resolution seeking the creation of a “World Salvation Army,” whose first task would be the liberation of Palestine.
Huge protests took place outside the UN headquarters on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the fourth day of the UN General Assembly’s General Debate.
The Israeli leader delivered a bombastic speech as he told world leaders Israel must be allowed to “finish the job” in Gaza – where the Israeli army has been accused of perpetrating genocide – and lambasted Western states for their “disgraceful decision” to recognise a Palestinian state.
Petro’s office and Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the visa revocation from the Reuters news agency.
In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Petro also hit out at US President Donald Trump, saying the US leader was “complicit in genocide” in Gaza and called for “criminal proceedings” over US air attacks on boats in Caribbean waters that Washington has accused of trafficking drugs.
Petro’s social media profile on Friday showed he had reposted several video clips of himself speaking to the pro-Palestinian protesters in New York.
“Free Palestine. If Gaza falls, humanity dies,” Petro said in one post.
The left-wing leader, who came to power in 2022, has been a vocal critic of Israel’s war on Gaza – which he has repeatedly condemned as a “genocide”.
Petro severed diplomatic ties with Israel in 2024, citing the actions of its “genocidal” government in Gaza, including attacks on Palestinian aid seekers – which he said were reminiscent of the Holocaust.
In July, he also reimposed a total ban on coal exports to Israel, saying Colombia “will not be complicit” in Israel’s genocide.
