Israel condemns Colombian Pres. Petro after he invokes Nazi slogans

Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the United States and Israel of political manipulation, linking what he described as efforts to undermine movements ranging from “free Palestine” to “free Latin America.”

Petro made the remarks on Monday while condemning a billboard campaign targeting left-wing politician Iván Cepeda. Criticizing the campaign, the Colombian leader compared it to Nazi propaganda tactics and invoked the slogan “Heil Hitler” in a social media post, drawing condemnation from Israeli officials.

“Ni Rubio se atrevió a decir esto,” Petro wrote in Spanish, meaning “Not even Rubio dared to say this,” referring to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent.

The controversy prompted a response from Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon, who sharply criticized Petro's remarks.

“President of Colombia, @petrogustavo, whatever is going on in your personal life, there are lines that must never be crossed. Using Nazi slogans is a disgraceful low from which there is no coming back. I hope you come to your senses and apologize before this Wednesday, when you are scheduled to preside over the debate at the United Nations Security Council,” Danon stated.

The latest dispute reflects the continued deterioration of relations between Colombia and Israel under Petro, who has emerged as one of the Israel's most outspoken critics since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre and invasion of southern Israeli communities.

In May 2024, Petro announced that Colombia was severing diplomatic relations with Israel, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of being “genocidal” for its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

"Here in front of you, the government of change, of the president of the republic announces that tomorrow we will break diplomatic relations with the state of Israel ... for having a government, for having a president who is genocidal,” the Colombian president said.

Israel's then-foreign minister, Israel Katz, condemned Petro's decision, accusing him of rewarding the Hamas terrorists responsible for the massacre of 1,200 Israelis, the deadliest single-day killing of Jews since the Holocaust.

“The president of Colombia has promised to give a reward to the Nazi-Hamas murderers, and here it is today,” Katz stated. “History will remember that Gustavo Petro decided to side with the most despicable monsters known to mankind who burned babies, murdered children, raped women and kidnapped innocent civilians.”

Shortly after cutting ties with Israel, Petro ordered the opening of a Colombian embassy in Ramallah, the administrative seat of the Palestinian Authority.

“President Petro has given the order that we open the Colombian embassy in Ramallah, the representation of Colombia in Ramallah, that is the next step we are going to take,” Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo announced at the time.

Relations between Colombia and Israel had been strong prior to Petro's election in 2022. In late 2021, former Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez visited Israel and officially inaugurated a diplomatic office in Jerusalem.

“I am visiting Jerusalem, staying in Jerusalem, visiting the Prime Minister’s Office, the President’s Office in Jerusalem,” Duque stated during his visit to the Jewish state. “Our presence here, a state visit, is a symbol that we are here to strengthen the bilateral relationship."