Full Breakdown
NYC Mayor’s Planned Meeting with Colombian President Canceled Amid U.S. Visa Dispute and Israel Controversy
6/12/2026, 5:07:04 AM
Canceled Meeting Between NYC Mayor and Colombian President
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had arranged to meet Colombian President Gustavo Petro during Petro’s visit to New York for a United Nations Security Council session. The meeting—Mamdani’s first with a foreign head of state—was called off after the Trump administration instructed Colombian officials to cancel, citing a potential violation of the terms governing Petro’s entry into the United States.
Background: Petro’s Israel Commentary and U.S. Visa Actions
Petro, a former member of Colombia’s M-19 guerrilla movement and the country’s first socialist president elected in 2022, has repeatedly compared Israel’s military actions to those of Nazi Germany. In 2023 he posted the phrase “Heil Hitler” on X in response to an op-ed, later defending the post as criticism of the author’s “fascist” rhetoric. The U.S. State Department revoked his visa in the fall of 2023 after he appeared at a Manhattan rally urging U.S. soldiers to disobey orders supporting Israel. Petro received a limited waiver this week to attend the UN meeting.
Key Figures
- Zohran Mamdani – Mayor of New York City, known for refusing to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and for supporting pro-Palestinian causes.
- Gustavo Petro – President of Colombia, who severed diplomatic ties with Israel in 2024 and has accused Israel of genocide.
- Ana Maria Archila – Head of Mamdani’s office of international affairs, former Working Families Party co-chair.
- Daraliza Avila Chevalier – Activist backing Mamdani, cited an “outsized reaction” to Israel when defending her participation in a Times Square rally.
Timeline
- Fall 2023 – U.S. State Department revokes Petro’s visa after Manhattan rally.
- Early 2024 – Petro granted a limited waiver for UN Security Council attendance.
- June 2024 (this week) – Planned Mamdani-Petro meeting canceled following Trump administration intervention.
- June 21 2024 – Colombian presidential runoff, context for Petro’s recent “Heil Hitler” post.
Why It Matters
The cancellation underscores how U.S. immigration policy can intersect with foreign leaders’ public statements on Israel. Locally, Mamdani’s alignment with critics of Israel has drawn scrutiny from Jewish leaders and may influence upcoming electoral contests in New York City. Internationally, Petro’s diplomatic break with Israel and the visa dispute affect Colombia-U.S. relations.
Official Statements & Responses
A City Hall spokesperson declined comment. Israeli officials have rejected Petro’s genocide allegation and condemned his Nazi comparisons. The State Department’s earlier visa revocation was justified on the basis of Petro’s rally participation.
Criticism & Opposition
Jewish and Zionist organizations have criticized Mamdani’s stance on Israel. Israeli officials have labeled Petro’s remarks as unfounded and inflammatory.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
No public statement from Mamdani explains the cancellation. Petro’s defense of the “Heil Hitler” post is summarized but not quoted verbatim.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Heil Hitler” — Gustavo Petro, X post responding to op-ed.
- “fascist” — Gustavo Petro, describing the op-ed author’s rhetoric.
- “outsized reaction.” — Daraliza Avila Chevalier, defending Times Square rally participation.
- “The meeting — set to be Mamdani’s first with a foreign leader — was reportedly canceled after the Trump administration intervened, directing Colombian officials to call it off, arguing that it would violate the terms of Petro’s entry into the United States for a United Nations Security Council session on Wednesday.” — Jacob Kornbluh, journalist, *The Forward*.
What’s Next
Petro will attend the UN Security Council session later this week. Mamdani’s upcoming mayoral initiatives are likely to remain under observation by Jewish community groups. The outcome of Colombia’s June 21 runoff may affect Petro’s domestic political leverage.
