Colombian President Gustavo Petro has alleged that his U.S. visa was canceled under orders from the Trump administration, a move that has prevented him from participating in critical International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Washington, D.C. this week. Petro disclosed this development during a Council of Ministers meeting on Monday, expressing his dismay over the situation.
The visa revocation is the latest episode in a growing rift between Colombia and the United States. President Trump had previously warned of "decisive retaliatory measures" after Petro's government barred two U.S. military flights carrying deported Colombians from landing in January. Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first leftist leader and ex-member of the 19th of April Movement guerrilla group, is no stranger to U.S. soil, having attended multiple events, including a climate conference in Chicago and the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2024. In April 2023, he even visited the White House, hosted by then-President Joe Biden.
Tensions flared in January when Petro obstructed the deportation of 160 Colombian nationals by the U.S., citing the deportees' treatment and human rights concerns. This incited a swift reaction from Washington, with President Trump announcing on Truth Social a slew of punitive measures to pressure the Colombian government. Among these was a 25 percent tariff on Colombian goods, with threats to increase it if the disagreement persisted.
In a direct response to Petro's actions, Trump's administration imposed "A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters." This extended to party members, relatives, and supporters of the Colombian government. Adding to the controversy, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Petro of duplicity, claiming he initially accepted the deportation flights but reneged as the aircraft were en route, thereby causing a logistical and humanitarian issue.
The conflict intensified when Petro announced his own set of countermeasures, implementing a 25 percent tax on U.S. imports. However, the significant economic strain and potential harm to Colombia's economy compelled Petro to eventually relent and accept the deported migrants.
This visa dispute is a major diplomatic setback for Petro's administration and underscores the challenging relationship dynamics between his leftist government and the Trump administration.
