On September 27, 2025, the United States Department of State, through a post on X, threatened to revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visa for the pro-Palestine comments he made at a congregation in NYC. The office was prompt enough to call him out on his alleged “reckless” and “incendiary actions”, accusing him of urging “U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence.”
The DOS’s comments led Petro to take to his X account, where he mentioned that he had returned from the US and that he no longer possessed the country’s passport. He further clarified that he was unbothered by the move. Referring to himself as a Colombian and European citizen, he added:
“I truly consider myself a free person in the world. Humanity must be free everywhere”.
Additionally, Petro also pointed to ideas such as freedom and human rights, and spoke of the importance and need for every individual to be “free on Earth.”
The back and forth between the US Department of State and Gustavo Petro has incited elaborate discussions on social media.
Many have pointed out how the department could never stand for the right thing due to its becoming closely enmeshed with Trump and his MAGA agenda in the past couple of years. It is no surprise that they are opposing someone who supports Palestine, as the US is one of the most prominent countries that has not taken a stand since Israel started bombing the Gaza Strip back in 2023.
That said, the DOS has not just shown support for the US’s Palestinian stance but also for other efforts that target specific populations. They have repeatedly and shamelessly expressed support for Trump’s efforts to cut down the US immigrant population by deporting them. The same entails that they support ICE officers hunting down innocent civilians and physically and mentally tormenting them.
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