BOGOTA: Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared that New York may no longer be a suitable host for the United Nations headquarters following the United States’ decision to revoke his visa.
Petro stated that the US decision violated the principle of immunity that underpins the United Nations while calling for respect for international law.
The Colombian leader joined a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the UN headquarters in New York on Friday where he urged US soldiers not to turn their weapons against humanity.
“Disobey Trump’s orders! Obey the orders of humanity!” he said during the protest.
The US State Department responded on social media the same day by announcing “we will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions.”
Petro confirmed on Saturday via social media that he no longer holds a US visa while adding “I don’t care.”
“There is total immunity for presidents who attend the (UN General) Assembly,“ he wrote on his X social media account.
The Colombian president further criticised Washington for preventing Palestinian representatives from attending the UN General Assembly.
He renewed his call for the international community to stop the humanitarian disaster in Gaza during his social media statements.
“Denying entry to the Palestinian Authority and revoking my visa for asking the US and Israeli armies not to support genocide, which is a crime against humanity as a whole, shows the U.S. government no longer complies with international law,“ he said.
Petro urged US President Donald Trump to reconsider his support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza in his concluding remarks.
He asserted that the United States cannot achieve greatness “by killing defenceless babies” in his final criticism of US foreign policy. – Bernama-Xinhua