The U.S Department of State has yet to confirm – or deny – a bizarre claim made by Colombian President Gustavo Petro that his travel visa may have been revoked. Petro’s offhand remark during a live Cabinet meeting in Casa de Nariño has generated confusion and renewed scrutiny of Petro’s relationship with the Trump administration.
“I can’t go anymore because I believe they took away my visa,” Petro said during a nationally televised meeting convened to address a yellow fever outbreak. “I didn’t really need a visa, but anyway, I’ve already seen Donald Duck several times, so I’ll go see other things,” he added, chuckling – without further explanation.
The comment, delivered casually and seemingly out of context, caught his ministers off guard and comes as Colombian Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia is preparing to travel to New York to address the United Nations Security Council. At the same time, the country’s recently-appointed Finance Minister, Germán Avila, is already in Washington D.C, on official business.
A representative from the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, talking on BLU Radio, declined to confirm the accuracy of Petro’s remark, citing confidentiality laws, but reaffirmed that “visa records are confidential under U.S. law” and that there has been “no formal notification of visa revocation.”
President Petro, who does not speak or write English, has adopted a combative tone in international affairs, often bypassing traditional diplomatic channels in favor of direct posts on “X” (formerly Twitter). His communication style, characterized by unscheduled national broadcasts and pointed online commentary, has become a hallmark of his presidency – and quagmire for senior diplomats.
Just hours before Monday’s Cabinet meeting, Petro posted a rare English-language message aimed at El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. In it, he condemns Trump’s Central American ally for the treatment of Venezuelan migrants, likening it to the terror tactics that preceded the Holocaust.
“Fascism in Europe created a criminal idea and gave it legal cover,” Petro wrote. “It said that you could blame a social group for the crime of an individual. That is the path that led to the holocaust of the Jews. No democratic-minded person in Latin America can accept that all of the Venezuelan people in exile are criminalized because of the crimes of the so-called ‘Tren de Aragua.’”
In a further embellishment, Petro invoked U.S. legal history and civil rights, referencing John Quincy Adams and the U.S. Supreme Court: “The Supreme Court of Justice of the United States has handed down a universal judgment… It reminds me of John Quincy Adams and his struggle for the freedom of the Black persons who escaped from the slave ship coming from Africa,” he wrote. “Migrants are not criminals; this is a basic rule of thumb of humankind.
The message to President Bukele, written in fluent English, stands out both for its tone and content. While Petro is known to contract a fleet of social media influencers, this post underscores his tendency to pivot away from urgent domestic issues – such as the yellow fever outbreak – toward ideologically-infused comments.
Petro’s digital diplomacy has already provoked several high-profile controversies. In 2023, ahead of his speech at the 78th United Nations General Assembly, he compared Israeli military actions in Gaza to Nazi atrocities. “The most antisemitic act today is repeating Hitler’s Holocaust against humanity, particularly the Palestinian people,” Petro posted.
That statement sparked immediate backlash. Deborah Lipstadt, the then U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, condemned the comparison and warned against trivializing the Holocaust. The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá also issued a statement, calling the comments “deeply offensive” and urging political leaders to avoid equating modern conflicts with historical genocides.
Despite the criticism, Petro has remained defiant, framing himself as a champion of human rights and accusing his detractors of silencing uncomfortable truths. However, his rhetorical style — which leans heavily on historical analogies and unfiltered social media posts — has alienated key allies and complicated Colombia’s diplomatic standing.
During Monday night’s broadcast – presented as a “presidential address” but aired as a Cabinet Meeting – Petro accused Colombia’s mainstream media of serving the elite. “They want us to think only what the five richest men in Colombia think,” he said. “Only they think with their pockets full, and most Colombians don’t even have pockets anymore.”
Petro’s near-predictable remarks, especially those involving foreign affairs, have weakened Colombia’s standing among regional allies and key trade partners. Already, relations with the United States have been strained by disagreements over drug policy and a dramatic rise in coca cultivation. With an estimated 280,000 hectares of illicit crops, Colombia risks losing its certification status with the U.S. – a move that could impact security cooperation and jeopardize the country’s 10% tariff ceiling under trade agreements with the new Trump administration.
With Petro personally speculating about the status of his U.S. visa, his presidency continues to be defined by populism. While no formal fallout has followed the president’s comment, the visa episode does reinforce growing concerns over the country’s diplomatic direction.
In the absence of clarity – or official Press Statement from State – Monday’s impromptu moment is endemic to the Petro presidency, increasingly defined by half-truths and ratings driven narratives. While no formal reaction has emerged from Petro’s “I’ve seen Donald Duck” statement, the impact of his communication style continues to shape Colombia’s international image, and long-standing ties with Washington.
