The Colombian government has proposed relocating the United Nations headquarters to a “neutral” location in response to the Trump administration’s decision to revoke President Gustavo Petro’s visa for statements in which he urged the country’s soldiers to disobey the US president’s orders.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry has emphasized that revoking the visa violates the spirit of the United Nations Charter, which promotes the right to freedom of expression. Therefore, if it is not guaranteed, “it would be essential to find a completely neutral host country.”
“Restricting entry to a country for reasons linked to public opinion deviates from the international standard,” it said in a statement.
Colombia proposes that the United Nations itself be responsible for issuing authorizations to enter the territory “of this new host state, in compliance with international law.”
The Trump administration’s decision responds to statements made by Petro at a pro-Palestine march in New York, in which he participated, urging US soldiers “not to point their rifles at humanity.”
“Colombia reiterates that raising its voice to denounce events affecting the Palestinian population cannot be interpreted as an act contrary to law, but rather as a moral and political obligation in the face of potential serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights,” he emphasized.
