New York | September 24, 2025
Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday used his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly to call for an end to what he described as a “genocide in Gaza,” directly accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with the United States and European nations, of supporting policies he said perpetuate mass suffering.
“The world cannot allow another day of genocide,” Petro declared, urging international leaders to act decisively to stop the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip.
He said those enabling or carrying out such actions must be held accountable, warning that global silence would amount to complicity.
Petro also denounced recent U.S. military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean, which Washington has said targeted suspected drug trafficking operations.
He argued the operations represented a wider pattern of dominance and the criminalization of poor and marginalized communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
He called for an investigation into the incidents, linking them to what he described as systemic racism and geopolitical control.
The Colombian leader’s remarks reflected his broader “Global South” agenda, positioning his government as a vocal critic of Western military interventions and as an advocate for a more equitable international order.
While his speech echoed longstanding positions on Gaza and U.S. foreign policy, it drew sharp lines of accountability by naming specific leaders and governments before the international body.
Petro’s address added to a chorus of contentious statements delivered during this year’s General Debate, as world leaders confronted each other over conflicts, humanitarian crises, and the balance of power in global governance.
