Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Saturday dismissed the United States’ decision to revoke his visa and accused Washington of violating international law over his criticism of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Reuters reports.

The US said on Friday that it would revoke Petro’s visa after he took to New York’s streets on Friday to join a pro-Palestinian demonstration and urged US soldiers to disobey President Donald Trump’s orders.

“I no longer have a visa to travel to the United States. I don’t care. I don’t need a visa … because I’m not only a Colombian citizen but a European citizen, and I truly consider myself a free person in the world,” Petro said on social media.

“Revoking it for denouncing genocide shows the US no longer respects international law,” he added on a post on X.

Petro, addressing a crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters outside UN headquarters in Manhattan, called for a global armed force with the priority to liberate Palestinians and urged US soldiers, “Disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the orders of humanity.”

Opinion

Editorial

A breakthrough?
07 May, 2026

A breakthrough?

The whole world would welcome an end to this pointless war.
Missed opportunity
07 May, 2026

Missed opportunity

A BIG opportunity to industrialise Pakistan has just passed us by. This has been reconfirmed by the investment...
Punishing dissent
07 May, 2026

Punishing dissent

THE Sindh government’s treatment of the Aurat March this week was a disgraceful assault on democratic rights. What...
The May war
Updated 06 May, 2026

The May war

Rationality demands that both states come to the table and discuss their grievances, and their solutions in a mature manner.
Looking inwards
06 May, 2026

Looking inwards

REGULAR appraisals by human rights groups and activists should not be treated by the authorities as attempts to ...
Feeling the heat
06 May, 2026

Feeling the heat

ANOTHER heatwave season has begun, and once again, the state is scrambling to respond to conditions it has long been...