By SCM Staff Writer I Thursday, October 02, 2025
BOGOTÁ, Colombia — In a dramatic escalation of international tensions, Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday ordered the immediate termination of the country’s Free Trade Agreement with Israel and the expulsion of all remaining Israeli diplomats.
The decisive move comes in direct response to the Israel Occupation Forces (IOF) intercepting the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” an international humanitarian aid mission bound for Gaza, and the subsequent detention of two Colombian citizens aboard.
President Petro, a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, announced the measures via social media, branding the interception and detentions as “a new international crime by [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.”
He further instructed the Foreign Ministry to file all necessary legal demands, including through the Israeli justice system, and called on international lawyers to support the Colombian legal team.
The expulsion order applies to all remaining Israeli diplomatic personnel, following a prior decision by Colombia to sever formal diplomatic relations with Israel in May 2024.
The latest directive signals a complete and immediate cessation of state-to-state ties.
Background: A Deepening Rift
The diplomatic confrontation is the culmination of months of deteriorating relations between the two nations, which have historically maintained strong bilateral ties, particularly in security and defense cooperation.
The now-canceled Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in August 2020, was a cornerstone of the two countries’ economic relationship, facilitating trade primarily in coal and industrial goods. The suspension, which Mr. Petro had hinted at earlier this week, represents a significant economic casualty of the political rift.
The immediate trigger for Wednesday’s announcement was the detention of the two Colombian nationals—identified as activists Manuela Bedoya and Luna Barreto—who were part of the crew on the Global Sumud Flotilla.
The international aid effort, comprising multiple vessels and hundreds of activists from various nations, was intercepted by the Israeli Navy as it approached the maritime blockade zone off the coast of Gaza.
According to statements from the flotilla’s organizers, the vessels were intercepted in international waters, which the activists assert is a violation of international law.
The Israeli military, however, maintains that the flotilla was approaching an “active combat zone” and violating a legal naval blockade necessary for national security.
International Repercussions
Colombia’s decision is the most punitive action taken by a major Latin American nation since the latest hostilities in the Gaza region began.
As the first leftist president in Colombia’s modern history, Mr. Petro has consistently used his platform to condemn the conflict, placing him at odds with the Israeli government and its Western allies.
The move is expected to draw condemnation from Jerusalem and Washington, and further complicate international efforts to de-escalate the broader regional crisis.
It also signals a potential shift in trade and defense procurement for Colombia, which has historically relied on Israeli-supplied military technology.
As the two Colombian citizens remain in Israeli custody, the focus now shifts to the Foreign Ministry in Bogotá, which must navigate the legal and logistical challenges of enforcing the presidential order and ensuring the safe return of its nationals while completely dissolving decades of diplomatic and economic partnership.
