US revokes Colombian president's visa over his statements on Palestine

The United States is revoking the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro after he took to the streets of New York on Friday to attend a pro-Palestinian demonstration and called on US soldiers to disobey orders from US leader Donald Trump. This was reported by Reuters.

"We are revoking Petro's visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions," the State Department said in a statement on social network X.

Addressing a crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, Petro called for the creation of a global military force whose priority would be the liberation of the Palestinians. He added: "This force must be larger than the United States".

"That's why from here in New York, I'm asking all the soldiers of the United States Army not to point their weapons at people. Do not obey Trump's orders. Obey the orders of humanity," the Colombian president continued.

Petro, Colombia's first leftist president and a fierce opponent of Israel's war in Gaza, criticized Trump in a speech at the UN on Tuesday, saying the US leader was "complicit in the genocide" in Gaza and calling for "criminal prosecution" for US missile attacks on ships in Caribbean waters that were allegedly transporting drugs.

• On the afternoon of September 21, Britain, Canada, and Australia recognized the independence of the Palestinian state, while all countries spoke out against the Hamas terrorist group.
• Israel criticized the decision of these states, saying that it does not contribute to peace.
• Later, Portugal officially announced the recognition of Palestine, and on September 22, France.