U.S. Cancels Colombian President’s Meeting Due to Visa Restrictions

The U.S. State Department canceled President Gustavo Petro’s visa last year following his participation in a pro-Palestinian rally in Manhattan. He had planned to attend a forum led by New York’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

A meeting scheduled between President Petro of Colombia and Mayor Mamdani was canceled by the U.S. after it was determined the meeting might violate the restricted travel conditions under which Mr. Petro was allowed entry into the United States, according to Colombian and American officials.

The U.S. granted Mr. Petro a limited travel allowance to attend a U.N. Security Council Meeting. According to officials, any activities beyond this were not permissible. Colombian officials agreed to cancel the meeting planned for Friday after contact from U.S. Embassy officials in Bogotá reached Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Typically, foreign heads of state have visas permitting free entry into the United States. However, the State Department revoked Mr. Petro’s visa following his appearance at a pro-Palestinian rally in September, where he criticized U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders from the U.S. president.

The visa cancellation was part of ongoing tensions between Mr. Petro, identified as a leftist, and the Trump administration. Officials from the New York City Mayor’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

In a statement, the State Department remarked, “As the secretary has stated, a visa is a privilege and not a right. Any individual’s U.S. visa can be revoked if they enter America and urge U.S. soldiers to disobey the orders of the elected president. Despite President Trump’s attempts to reach mutual understanding, the individual in question persists in such behavior.”