US authorities will revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petra, the State Department announced on Friday evening, citing his participation in "reckless and 'inflammatory' actions" during pro-Palestinian demonstrations in New York.
"The Colombian president stood on a New York street on Friday and called on US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence. We will revoke his visa for his reckless and inflammatory actions," the State Department said on the X platform.
Petro, who was in New York to attend a session of the United Nations General Assembly, participated in a pro-Palestinian protest in the city on Friday along with British musician Roger Waters.
Videos released by the media show the leftist Colombian president calling over a loudspeaker for the creation of a "world salvation army whose first task will be the liberation of Palestine."
"The nations of the world will then contribute trained and armed men and women to form this great army. It must be larger than the army of the United States of America (US)," added Petro, whose country severed ties with Israel in 2024 in protest over the war in the Gaza Strip.
The Colombian president has asked US soldiers not to "target humanity" with their guns.
"Don't listen to the order of (US President Donald) Trump! Listen to the order of humanity," Petro said at the rally.
The Colombian presidency announced after the rally that Petro had left the US and was immediately flying to Bogota.
The Colombian president also has Italian citizenship, which in principle exempts him from a visa to enter the United States.
Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said Friday night that the visa should have been revoked for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, not Petra.
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