Colombian President petro โฃto Attend UN Security council Despite โUS Sanctions
colombian President Gustavo Petro has announced his intention to travel to New York toโ participate in sessions of the United Nations Security Council, even with recent sanctions imposed by the United States.Colombia is slated to become โa member of the council on January 1, 2026.
The declaration comes despite the revocation of Petro’s US visa and his inclusion on the clinton list – a US mechanism for financial sanctions targeting individuals and entities allegedly linkedโค to โdrugโค trafficking or money laundering. Petro,speaking to Al Jazeera,stated,”Colombia will be,as of january 1,a member of the Security Council.I will have the pleasure of returning to New York, even if the federal goverment does not want to receive me there.”
Petro intends to address escalating international conflicts during the council sessions,specifically citing the war in Sudan. He also expressed a willingness โคto yield Colombia’s seat to Palestinian representatives, acknowledging potential vetoes fromโ the US. “I will give the seat to the Palestinians, knowing that they veto us,” he said.
The diplomatic tensions stem fromโฃ Petro’s participation in a New York protest where heโข urged US soldiers to disobey orders from then-President Donald Trump. The โขUS โคState Department responded by announcing the visa โrevocation, stating Petro’s actions were “reckless and inflammatory.”
In addition to theโ president, his wife, Veronicaโค Alcocer, his son, Nicolas Petro, and Ministerโ of the Interior, Armando Benedetti, have โขalso been added โขtoโค the Clinton list.All four have indicated plans to pursue legal action to have their names removed.
The sanctions are already โimpacting the Colombian โPresidency’s operations. During a recent trip to the Middle East, several companies refused to refuel the presidential โฃplane due to concerns about potential secondary sanctions from the US.
Petro characterized the US actions as politicalโ persecution, โlinking them to his international stances, notably his criticism of US military intervention in the caribbean and his support for the Palestinian people. He described the situation as “a chase,” noting the inclusion of himself, his ex-wife, โand his eldest son on the list and the possibility of further individuals being added.