Petro Faces U.S. Sanctions, Expresses Uncertainty About future After Presidency
BOGOTÁ, Colombia - Colombian President Gustavo Petro is grappling with sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department while publicly voicing uncertainty about his life after leaving office. The sanctions, which place Petro in a similar category to ”the worst drug traffickers,” stem from his remarks during a pro-Palestine exhibition in New York City following the United Nations General Assembly.
“I don’t know how I’m going to live after I leave the government, but God will provide, the Bible says,” Petro stated, reflecting on his post-presidency prospects.
The controversy began when Petro, addressing a demonstration with a megaphone, called on the U.S.Army to “disobey Donald Trump’s orders, if he ordered military action in palestine.” He invoked the memory of American soldiers who died fighting against Hitler, stating, “I myself knelt as a Christian before the graves of thousands of American soldiers who died in the fields of Europe.”
Petro later adjusted his account of the incident from Cali,suggesting a misinterpretation. He claimed Trump believed he was urging the NYPD, not the U.S.Army, to disregard orders.
despite the severity of the Treasury Department’s sanctions, Petro emphasized the importance of public support, asserting, “my experience has taught me that in matters of survival, if one has the support of the people, there is no problem, someone will always lend a hand anywhere in the world.”
