Bogotá – Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced Wednesday the expulsion of all remaining Israeli diplomats from the country following Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla and the detention of two Colombian activists on board.
According to Petro, two Colombian nationals, Manuela Bedoya and Luna Barreto, were detained by Israeli naval forces in international waters while taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian mission carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Petro described them as women “engaged in human solidarity activities with Palestine” and demanded their immediate release.
The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that several vessels in the flotilla had been “safely stopped” and said passengers were being transferred to an Israeli port. The flotilla had set sail with around 40 boats carrying parliamentarians, activists, and humanitarian workers from more than 30 countries, seeking to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
While Colombia had already severed formal diplomatic ties with Israel last year over the war in Gaza, a small Israeli diplomatic presence—four envoys—remained in Bogotá. Following Petro’s announcement, those officials were ordered to leave. In a statement posted on X, Petro accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of committing “a new international crime” and declared the “entire diplomatic delegation of Israel” persona non grata.
Petro also announced that Colombia was terminating its free-trade agreement with Israel, which had been in force since 2020. The decision deepens tensions between the two countries at a moment of mounting international criticism over Israel’s blockade and military operations in Gaza.
The Colombian leader has emerged as one of Netanyahu’s most outspoken critics on the global stage. He has repeatedly referred to the Israeli premier as “genocidal” and has accused the United States, particularly former President Donald Trump, of being “an accomplice” to what he calls “genocide” in Gaza.
In response to his remarks, Washington revoked Petro’s visa, escalating diplomatic fallout between Colombia and the U.S. The move underscores the increasingly fraught relations as Petro positions Colombia among the most vocal international opponents of Israel’s Gaza policies.
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