US revokes Colombian President’s visa for urging soldiers to disobey Trump in NY

Tensions between the United States and Colombia have escalated with the state department announcing that it was revoking a visa for Gustavo Petro, the President of the Latin American country, after he participated in a New York protest, where he called on American soldiers to disobey President Donald Trump's orders.

The department said they would revoke Petro's visa due to his "reckless and incendiary actions". Petro was visiting for the annual UN Nations General Assembly. During a nearby protest on Friday over the war in Gaza, he said, "I ask all the soldiers of the United States' army, don't point your rifles against humanity" and "disobey the orders of Trump". It was unclear if the decision forced Petro, who returned to Colombia on Saturday, to leave the US earlier than expected.

The department did not answer whether the revocation would affect future visits. Petro has a history of speaking off the cuff in meandering, ideologically charged speeches. The Colombian President said he didn't care about the punishment as he was also a European citizen. That meant he did not need a visa to travel to the US. He also said humanity must be free around the world. Colombia has long been a top US ally in Latin America, cooperating on the fight against drug trafficking.