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Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
The real reason Colombian world leader may have had his visa revoked
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has denied allegations brought forward by his former foreign minister that he has a drug addiction just a day after revealing he is banned from traveling to the U.S. Alvaro Leyva, who served for almost two years until he was ousted in May 2024, wrote on a letter he shared on X on Wednesday that Petro had disappeared for two days during an official visit to Paris in 2023. In the letter, which was delivered to the president's office a day earlier, Leyva claimed it was during that time that he noticed that the president was using drugs without offering concrete proof. 'I'm sorry to say this today — late, admittedly — but around that time I was already aware of episodes of similar behavior on your part,' the former top diplomat wrote. 'It was in Paris that I was able to confirm that you had a drug addiction problem.' Leyva, an 82-year-old conservative, then went on to say that he was unable to do anything at the time because of his position within Petro's administration. 'But what could I have done? I was certainly inferior. I should have approached you, helped you, assisted you in a timely manner,' Leyva said. 'I harbor the regret of not having tried to reach out to you. The truth is, you never recovered. That's how it is. Your recovery, sadly, has not taken place.' Petro, a former member of the 19th of April Movement guerrilla group, immediately took to X on Wednesday and explained that he taken advantage of the trip to France to spend time with his daughter, Andrea Petro, and her children. 'It became a sin for me to be with my family,' the leftist leader said. 'Because several of my children and my mother live abroad, and because of the persecution we suffer, I have very few opportunities to see them. 'I didn't think this fact would unleash such terrible suspicions in the people I've shaken hands with.' In a separate post later in the day, Petro said it would have been impossible to have gone missing because of the security provided by the French government. 'The writer is so vulgar that he forgot to tell you that during an official visit by a head of state to France, there is always direct and permanent physical protection from the French secret service,' he wrote. 'I've simply been slandered.' Andrea Petro also dismissed Leyva's accusations and said her father was with her. 'In France, my dad found something rare in Colombia: family time, privacy, calm,' she wrote on X. 'His favorite pastime was spending time with my daughters, being a grandfather without distractions. Guilty of disconnecting him a little? I admit it. We were just looking for a peace that isn't allowed there.' Colombia's former justice minister, Wilson Ruiz, piggybacked on Leyva's letter on Wednesday and called on the lower house to look in investigated Petro's mental and physical health. Leyva said the leftist leader had gone missing for several days during an official visit to Paris in 2023 and that it was during that trip that he noticed that Petro was a drug user Leyva's stunning claims came a day after Petro shocked the South American nation and revealed that his travel visa to the United States had been revoked by the administration of President Donald Trump. Petro said Finance Minister Germán Avila would take his place at the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, D.C. 'I can't go anymore because I think they've revoked my visa,' Petro said during a Council of Ministers meeting on Monday. 'I didn't need a visa, but hey, I've seen Donald Duck several times. So, I'm off to see other things.' It's unknown when Petro had his travel visa suspended. In a statement to on Wednesday, the U.S. Western Hemisphere Affairs said that 'visa records are confidential under U.S. law; therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases.' Colombia's Foreign Relations Ministry and the President's office did not respond to request for comment. Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to get into the specifics of Petro's claims during Tuesday's press briefing. 'Of course, we don't speak about direct individual visa issues. We – visa records are confidential for everyone. But we are aware of the reports; we're aware of what he said,' Bruce said. In the event that Petro's visa was canceled, the Department of State would have formally communicated its decision. Petro has clashed with the Trump, who threatened 'decisive retaliatory measures' against government officials over Petro's refusal to let two United States military flights full of migrants land in January. The Colombian leader slammed the Trump administration for the alleged mistreatment of 160 people, who were handcuffed on the planes. Trump snapped back by threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on incoming good and visa restrictions and sanctions and vowed to increase the tax by an additional 25 percent. Petro responded by announcing U.S. imports would face a 25 percent tax before he eventually backed down and agreed to accept the migrants. The last Colombian president who had his United States travel visa revoked was Ernesto Samper in July 1996. Samper, who ruled from 1994 to 1998, was accused of accepting at least $6 million from drug cartels to fund his campaign and later cleared by lawmakers.
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Stunning twist as world leader who trashed Trump over visa refusal sparks major rift in home country
Colombia's top diplomat was blindsided by President Gustavo Petro's claims he was barred from entering the United States, despite the country's Finance Minister being sent as his proxy to Washington DC this week. Foreign Relations Minister Laura Sarabia was reportedly 'shocked' that Petro had his travel visa revoked by the Trump administration, Colombian broadcaster La FM radio revealed Tuesday. The fracture between the leftist president and his top cabinet member over his visa status comes mere weeks after Sarabia met with the US's Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Bogata for high level talks on immigration. Petro, who once formed parted of the 19th of April Movement guerrilla group, stunned the South American nation during a meeting with the Council of Ministers on Monday trashing 'Donald Duck' for revoking his visa to travel to the US. He said Finance Minister Germán Avila would take his place at meetings of the spring meetings for of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent berated the organizations for vanity projects like climate change. Avila, another former member of the 19th of April Movement, is expected to attend a meeting for Latin America's finance ministers and central bank governors at the IMF headquarters on Friday, April 26. 'I can't go anymore because I think they've revoked my visa,' Petro said this week. 'I didn't need a visa, but hey, I've seen Donald Duck several times. So, I'm off to see other things.' Sarabia did not publicly comment on the Petro's visa issues when she spoke before the Security Council at the United Stations on Tuesday. Avila also has not responded to the president's claims. reached out to the Foreign Relations Ministry and the President's office for comment. In a statement to on Wednesday, the The U.S. Western Hemisphere Affairs said that 'visa records are confidential under U.S. law; therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases.' Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to get into the specifics of Petro's claims during Tuesday's press briefing. 'Of course, we don't speak about direct individual visa issues. We – visa records are confidential for everyone. But we are aware of the reports; we're aware of what he said,' said Bruce, while highlighting both countries' efforts to combat drug trafficking and boost each others economies. In the event that Petro's visa was cancelled, the Department of State would have formally communicated its decision. However, sources with knowledge of Petro's marks told La FM that the Department of State never did so. The last Colombian President who had his United States travel visa revoked was Ernesto Samper in July 1996. Samper, who ruled from 1994 to 1998, was accused of accepting at least $6 million from drug cartels to fund his campaign. A Colombian Red Cross worker speaks with a Colombian migrant, who was among the 201 who were deported from the United States, upon arrival at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia, on January 28 Petro previously visited the United States in September 2024 for a climate conference in Chicago, as well as the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Petro has clashed with the Trump, who threatened 'decisive retaliatory measures' against government officials over Petro's refusal to let two United States military flights full of migrants land in January. The Colombian leader slammed the Trump administration for the treatment of 160 people, who were handcuffed on the planes Trump snapped back by threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on incoming good and visa restrictions and sanctions and vowed to increase the tax by an additional 25 percent. Petro responded by announcing U.S. imports would be face a 25 percent tax before he eventually backed down and agreed to accept the migrants.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Colombian president claims his US visa has been revoked
By Colombian President Gustavo Petro is seemingly no longer welcome in the United States. Petro, a former member of the 19th of April Movement guerrilla group and Colombia's first leftist president, claimed the Trump administration revoked his visa to attend meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. He is instead be replaced by the Minister of Finance Germán Avila, who is in Washington, D.C. this week. The major international snub comes after Donald Trump threatened 'decisive retaliatory measures' against government officials over Colombia's refusal to let two US Military flights full of migrants land in January. 'I can't go anymore because I think they've revoked my visa,' Petro said during a Council of Ministers meeting on Monday. 'I didn't need a visa, but hey, I've seen Donald Duck several times. So, I'm off to see other things.' It was unclear when exactly Petro had his travel visa suspended. reached out to the Department of State for comment. Petro previously visited the United States in September 2024 for a climate conference in Chicago, as well as the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In April 2023, he was hosted at the White House by former President Joe Biden. However, there has been an ongoing rift with the current administration. Petro clashed with Trump after he blocked two military flights deporting Colombian nationals from the United States on January 26. The Colombian leader slammed the Trump administration for the treatment of 160 people, who were handcuffed on the planes Trump responded by threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on incoming good and visa restrictions and sanctions and vowed to increase the tax by an additional 25 percent. 'I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. He announced the 25 per cent tariffs, as well as his imposition of 'A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters.' All 'party members, family members, and supporters of the Colombian government' also will face visa sanctions,' Trump added. Secretary of State Marco Rubio then joined the fray by releasing a statement, alleging that Petro had previously agreed to accept the deportation flights, but canceled them once the planes were already in the air. Petro retaliated by announcing U.S. imports would be face a 25 percent tax before he eventually backed down and agreed to accept the migrants.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Colombian president stunned his US visa has been revoked... and reveals nickname for Trump in response
Colombian President Gustavo Petro is seemingly no longer welcome in the United States. Petro, a former member of the 19th of April Movement guerrilla group and Colombia's first leftist president, claimed the Trump administration revoked his visa to attend meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. He is instead be replaced by the Minister of Finance Germán Avila, who is in Washington DC this week. The major international snub comes after Donald Trump threatened 'decisive retaliatory measures' against government officials over Colombia's refusal to let two US Military flights full of migrants land in January. 'I can't go anymore because I think they've revoked my visa,' Petro said during a Council of Ministers meeting on Monday. 'I didn't need a visa, but hey, I've seen Donald Duck several times. So, I'm off to see other things.' It was unclear when exactly Petro had his travel visa suspended. reached out to the Department of State for comment. Petro previously visited the United States in September 2024 for a climate conference in Chicago, as well as the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In April 2023, he was hosted at the White House by former President Joe Biden. However, there has been an ongoing rift with the current administration. Petro clashed with Trump after he blocked two military flights deporting Colombian nationals from the United States on January 26. The Colombian leader slammed the Trump administration for the treatment of 160 people, who were handcuffed on the planes Trump responded by threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on incoming good and visa restrictions and sanctions and vowed to increase the tax by an additional 25 percent. 'I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. He announced the 25 per cent tariffs, as well as his imposition of 'A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters.' All 'party members, family members, and supporters of the Colombian government' also will face visa sanctions,' Trump added. Secretary of State Marco Rubio then joined the fray by releasing a statement, alleging that Petro had previously agreed to accept the deportation flights, but canceled them once the planes were already in the air. Petro retaliated by announcing U.S. imports would be face a 25 percent tax before he eventually backed down and agreed to accept the migrants.
