The Trump administration has been revoking the visas of international students, even those who have been charged with minor offences and cleared by courts. Now, it seems it has gone ahead and revoked the visa of a head of state. At least that is what Colombian President Gustavo Petro claims.
Petro claimed that American officials had revoked his visa even as he was supposed to attend meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in the US.
“I can’t go any more because I think they’ve revoked my visa,” The Daily Mail quoted Petro as saying.
Petro, Colombia’s first Leftist President, also took a dig at his American counterpart, calling President Donald Trump “Donald Duck”.
“I didn’t need a visa, but hey, I’ve seen Donald Duck several times. So, I’m off to see other things,” Petro said.
The Colombian President didn’t provide any evidence to back his claims, and the US State Department declined to either confirm or reject his allegation, according to reports.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of visa records.
COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT HAS BEEN AT ODDS WITH TRUMP
In January, Petro found himself at odds with the Trump administration over accepting deported Colombian nationals, sparking a tense standoff that lasted several days before the Colombian President ultimately backed down.
The Colombian President bashed the Trump administration for the “inhumane treatment” of 160 people who were handcuffed on the planes.
Colombia demanded that the deportees be treated with “dignity”.
Notably, Trump threatened to impose “travel bans and immediate visa revocations” and “visa sanctions against Colombian government officials” over Petro’s refusal to let two US military flights full of migrants land in January.
Besides, Trump responded by threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on incoming goods and visa restrictions and sanctions, and vowed to increase the tax by an additional 25 percent, according to The Daily Mail.
Petro responded to Trump’s announcement by promising to impose retaliatory tariffs.
An official with the US Embassy in Bogota told a local news service that “no formal notification of visa revocation” had been issued, reported The Independent.
Petro last visited the US in September 2024 for a climate conference in Chicago, as well as the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Former US President Joe Biden hosted Petro at the White House in 2023.
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