STORY: Speaking outside the United Nations General Assembly, Colombia's leftist president reasserted calls for a global force to help the Palestinian people.

Speaking during the UNGA this week, Colombian President Gustavo Petro slammed U.S. President, Donald Trump, for allowing, "missiles to be launched at children, young people, women, and the elderly in Gaza." He also made his call for an armed force to "Free Palestine."

Speaking on the sidelines of the UNGA Friday (September 26), Petro doubled down on the call, and added, the force, "has to be bigger than that of the United States. That's why from here, from New York, I ask all the soldiers of the army of the US not to point their guns at people. Disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the orders of humanity."

The comments were of a piece with statements made by Petro during a summit of Latin leaders during the week of the UNGA, in which he said Trump was leading the U.S. into "barbarism."

Trump, for his part, designated Colombia this week among the countries the United States believes to have "failed demonstrably" in upholding counternarcotics agreements during the past year.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 26, 2025) (COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT HANDOUT - Access all) (MUTE)

1. COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT, GUSTAVO PETRO, WALKING OUTSIDE OF UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH MUSICIAN, ROGER WATERS

2. WIDE OF PRO-PALESTINIANS GATHERED

3. PETRO HOLDING PALESTINIAN FLAG

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 26, 2025) (COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT HANDOUT - Access all)

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT, GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"And that is why I made the following proposal: For the People's General Assembly in the United Nations, we are going to present a resolution that says that it be ordered by the United Nation the configuration of an army for the salvation of the world that has as its first task to free Palestine."

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT, GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"[APPLAUSE] The nations that vote, if the resolution is approved, and here this would be a lot of work for two-thirds of the nations of the world to vote, 'yes,' then they will have the responsibility to configure with their own armies this great first unit in the world of an army that will make the orders of international justice lead to consequences."

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 26, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

6. WIDE OF PETRO SPEAKING ON MEGAPHONE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 26, 2025) (COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT HANDOUT - Access all)

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT, GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"The nations of the world will then provide trained and armed men and women to configure that great army."

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT, GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"It [global force] has to be bigger than that of the United States. That's why from here, from New York, I ask all the soldiers of the army of the U.S. not to point their guns at people. Disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the orders of humanity."

10. PETRO EMBRACING WOMAN IN HEAD SCARF ALONGSIDE WATERS