Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro is reeling from a major diplomatic defeat after the United States took the unusual step of revoking his visas. This revocation has been attributed to Petro’s vociferous condemnation of Israel’s military attacks on Gaza as contrary to international law. Here’s what he posted on social media platform X about this important issue. We couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the advanced concepts of personal freedom and the Enlightenment principles underlying international law.
Gas from a war Petro is an internationalist Petro has dual Colombian and European citizenship. He noted that the revocation of his visa will not prevent him from visiting the United States. He continued, “I have lost the visa that allowed me to travel to the United States, and I don’t care! I’m not only a Colombian citizen; I’m a European citizen. I honestly feel like a free man in the world. This claim speaks more to how serious he is about his identity and autonomy as a leader.
In his post on social media, Petro really went hard after the United States. He attacked its violation of international standards and claimed, “the US has no more respect for international law.” Tensions between Colombia and the US have been increasing. This ratcheting up comes on the heels of Petro’s earlier provocations, including him blocking US deportation flights this year. In answer, the US government threatened Colombia with tariffs and economic sanctions.
Since July, U.S.-China relations have rapidly soured. After increasing negative statements exchanged between the two countries, both governments sent their ambassadors home. Petro had in the past alleged that US officials were colluding to remove him through a coup, a claim the US countered was completely unfounded.
In explaining the revocation of his visa, the US State Department said it was “in response to his dangerous and extreme behavior.” This is emblematic of a larger trend as Petro’s recent statements and activities have attracted condemnation from environmentalists to the right. In a previous speech, Petro had called on soldiers to never “aim their weapons at human beings.” He urged them to place human rights concerns ahead of political orders.
Colombia’s current diplomatic landscape is very different. In a counter-move, the foreign affairs ministry has appealed to the United Nations to seek a neutral country of host for potentially contentious talks of global concern. Colombia’s interest in charting a course through a challenging regional and international environment is understandable. It enhances diplomacy and rigorous compliance with global norms.