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By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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The president of Colombia has responded to the move to revoke his U.S. visa after he called for soldiers to defy Donald Trump.
Gustavo Petro posted on X, "I don't care," in response to the cancellation of his visa on Friday which is likely to further strain relations between Washington and Bogotá.
Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department for comment.
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Why It Matters
The Trump administration's decision to revoke Petro's visa and the Colombian president’s response shows the deterioration of ties between the countries amid divisions over U.S. foreign policy, especially related to the Middle East and Latin America.
What To Know
In an X post on Saturday, Petro disparaged the decision by the U.S. State Department to revoke his U.S. visa while he was in the country where he attended the United Nations General Assembly.
He said that he had arrived back in Bogotá, and no longer had a visa to travel to the U.S, but added, "I don't care."
Petro said that he did not need a visa but an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), referring to the U.S. visa waiver system, because he is not just a Colombian citizen, but also a European citizen. He added that he considered himself "a free person in the world" and that every person on earth must be free.
Petro had his visa revoked after comments he made to a crowd outside the U.N. headquarters about Palestine when he called for "all the soldiers of the army of the U.S. not to point their rifles at humanity."
In the clip which was posted on social media, Petro can be heard saying, "disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the orders of humanity."
Later Friday, the State Department said that Petro’s visa would be revoked "due to his reckless and incendiary actions" in urging U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence.
Colombian media had reported that Petro had already departed the U.S. when the State Department made the announcement.
What People Are Saying
Gustavo Petro, Colombian president on X: "I arrived in Bogotá. I no longer have a visa to travel to the USA. I don't care.
He added: "I don't need a Visa but an ESTA, because I'm not only a Colombian citizen but also a European citizen, and in reality, I consider myself a free person in the world."
What Happens Next
Bogotá has been a Washington ally in the region but Petro has had a testy relationship with Trump following clashes on migration and drug trafficking and the Colombian leader’s latest salvo is likely to ramp up tensions between the countries.
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