In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic tensions, the United States has revoked the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, marking a rare and potentially unprecedented move against the leader of a key regional ally. The decision comes in the wake of Petro’s controversial remarks outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, where he urged U.S. soldiers to disobey an order from President Trump—a call that Washington swiftly condemned as both reckless and incendiary.
The announcement landed late on Friday, September 27, 2025, sending shockwaves through diplomatic circles in both countries. According to a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) by the U.S. Department of State, "Earlier today, Colombian president @petrogustavo stood on a NYC street and urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence. We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio amplified the message by reposting it on his own account, underlining the seriousness with which the administration viewed Petro’s comments.
The move caps a period of mounting strain between Washington and Bogotá, two nations whose security partnership has long been considered a linchpin of regional stability. Just weeks earlier, President Trump had decertified Colombia in the war on drugs, citing what he called a “demonstrable failure” to meet counternarcotics obligations amid record cocaine output under Petro’s administration. Although the U.S. issued a waiver to keep aid flowing, Bogotá retaliated by suspending all U.S. arms purchases and accusing Washington of meddling in Colombia’s internal affairs.
“We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions,” the State Department reiterated on X, a statement echoed across major U.S. media outlets. The administration’s view was clear: Petro’s remarks were not only out of bounds, but also constituted a direct incitement for American troops to defy lawful orders—a line that few foreign leaders have dared to cross in recent memory.
Petro’s remarks came during a brief address at a pro-Palestinian gathering in New York, coinciding with the annual United Nations General Assembly. In a moment that drew swift bipartisan outrage in Washington, the Colombian president urged U.S. troops to “obey the orders of humanity,” a phrase that U.S. officials interpreted as a call to ignore presidential commands. The State Department made clear it considered this an act of incitement and a potential spark for violence within the U.S. military ranks.
The timing of the incident could hardly have been worse. Earlier this year, a standoff over deportation flights from the U.S. to Colombia was only resolved after the Trump administration threatened sweeping tariffs and new visa penalties. On another front, Petro had recently condemned U.S. missile strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, labeling them “an act of tyranny.” These disputes have added up, creating a fraught atmosphere between the two countries just as they confront shared challenges like migration and the regional drug trade.
Despite the turmoil, Colombia remains a Major Non-NATO Ally, a status it received in 2022. This designation anchors extensive military training programs, grants access to U.S. equipment, and enables joint research initiatives. The partnership, forged over decades of counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism cooperation, is now under severe strain as both sides grapple with shifting priorities and increasingly sharp rhetoric.
Colombia itself is a nation of striking diversity and complexity. With a population of about 53 million, it stands as Latin America’s third-most populous country, nestled in the northern Andes. Its economy is built on petroleum, coal, coffee, gold, and cut flowers, while it relies on imports of machinery, chemicals, and manufactured goods. The country’s cultural heritage is a vivid tapestry, blending Indigenous, Spanish, African, Arab, and other immigrant influences.
President Gustavo Petro, now 65, has long been a figure of both controversy and admiration in Colombian politics. A leftist economist and former M-19 guerrilla, Petro rose to prominence as an anti-corruption crusader, later serving as mayor of Bogotá and as a senator before winning the presidency in 2022. He holds dual Colombian-Italian citizenship and has championed an ambitious agenda focused on social justice, environmental transition, and a fundamental shift in drug policy—moving away from forced coca eradication toward alternative approaches.
Petro’s presidency has been marked by bold moves and sharp rhetoric, often putting him at odds with Washington’s priorities. His decision to suspend U.S. arms purchases in response to the drug war decertification was just the latest in a series of tit-for-tat exchanges. When President Trump’s administration labeled Colombia as having “failed demonstrably” in its counternarcotics efforts, Petro shot back, accusing the U.S. of interfering in Colombia’s domestic politics—a charge that only deepened the diplomatic rift.
In the midst of these disputes, the question of what happens next looms large. The revocation of a sitting partner head of state’s visa is, by most accounts, without precedent in modern U.S. diplomacy. Such a move could complicate high-level contacts, disrupt defense cooperation, and chill investment ties between the two countries. As both governments face mounting pressures—from migration crises to the evolving dynamics of the drug trade—the need for clear channels of communication is greater than ever.
Officials in both Bogotá and Washington have been tight-lipped about the path forward, offering no timeline for de-escalation or a return to normalcy. For now, the partnership that has weathered decades of turbulence—from the darkest days of Colombia’s internal conflict to the shared battles against drug cartels—finds itself at a crossroads, its future uncertain.
As the world watches, the unfolding saga between the United States and Colombia serves as a stark reminder of how quickly alliances can be tested, and how the words of a single leader can reverberate far beyond the moment they are spoken.
