Washington D.C. – Relations between the United States and Colombia have sharply deteriorated after the U.S. State Department revoked the visa of Colombian president Gustavo Petro, prompting accusations from Bogotá that Washington is violating international law.

The move by the U.S. government followed president Petro's participation in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York. During the event, Petro urged American troops to disobey orders from U.S. president Donald Trump concerning the conflict in Gaza. A U.S. official described Petro's remarks as "reckless and incendiary," leading to the visa cancellation.

This action marks a significant downturn in the relationship between the two nations, which has been increasingly strained under the leadership of Petro, Colombia's first left-wing president.

President Petro responded defiantly to the news, dismissing the U.S. action as a sign of disrespect for global norms. "I don't care," he stated, accusing the United States of "violating international law."

Colombia's Foreign Ministry echoed this sentiment, issuing a statement accusing Washington of using diplomatic measures as a weapon. The ministry argued that such an action goes against the spirit of the 1945 United Nations Charter.

The diplomatic protest from Colombia quickly escalated. In a show of solidarity, Colombian foreign minister Rosa Villavicencio announced she was "renouncing" her own U.S. visa, criticizing the use of diplomatic visas for limiting national sovereignty and free expression. Following her lead, finance minister Germán Ávila also pledged to stop using his U.S. visa.

This diplomatic clash does not exist in a vacuum. It reflects a pattern of worsening U.S.-Colombia relations amid disagreements on key issues, including drug policy and the U.S. military presence in the region, particularly concerning Venezuela.

Analysts suggest that the escalating conflict with Washington may also serve a domestic political purpose for president Petro. Some believe he could be leveraging the confrontation to energize his political base ahead of upcoming elections by positioning himself as a leader standing up to a global superpower. The incident has cast a deep chill over the partnership between the two traditional allies, signaling a period of profound uncertainty in one of Latin America's most critical bilateral relationships.