Colombian President Gustavo Petro concluded his official state visit to the United States with a keynote address at Georgetown University, where he framed the global climate crisis as a “civilizational” struggle and called for a fundamental dismantling of current global power structures. Speaking to students and academics, the Colombian President argued that the technical transition to renewable energy is “relatively easy” compared to the political challenge of overcoming the economic interests he claims are driving humanity toward a “suicidal” collapse.
During his lecture, Petro asserted that 75% of the climate crisis originates from the consumption of oil, coal, and hydrocarbons—a figure he noted is backed by United Nations scientific panels. He criticized the recent COP30 summit for resisting the incorporation of clear scientific evidence regarding fossil fuels into its final declaration, attributing the stalemate to the pervasive lobby of major oil companies. For President Petro, the “clock is running out,” and the necessary change involves a radical shift in how the world produces and consumes wealth.
The Colombian president highlighted that the potential for renewable energy in Latin America is five times greater than that of the United States. He noted that the US currently relies on fossil fuels for approximately 70% of its energy matrix, suggesting that Latin America possesses the resources to anchor a continental energy transition. He argued that neither technology nor capital is the primary obstacle to this shift, but rather the existing “relations of power” that prioritize the status quo over environmental survival.
Petro criticized multilateral inaction at Georgetown
Petro used the academic stage to launch a scathing critique of the United Nations and other multilateral organizations, questioning their efficacy in the face of modern humanitarian and environmental crises. “What is the UN for then?” Petro asked, pointing to the inability of the international system to stop “genocides,” specifically referencing the war in Gaza. He claimed that the nation-state has become incapable of responding to these atrocities, leaving social mobilization as the only effective counter-power.
The president also referenced recent military actions in the region, characterizing the attack on Caracas as the first time a Latin American capital had been “bombarded” by the United States.
He maintained that no political disagreement justifies such an offensive and cited it as further evidence that the existing international legal framework, including international humanitarian law, has failed to protect the vulnerable. He described the UN as a “silent witness” whose Security Council is paralyzed by the veto power of major nations.
A vision for global reform
To address these systemic failures, Petro proposed a series of radical reforms to the international order. His vision includes the elimination of the veto in the UN Security Council to ensure decisions reflect a democratic majority and the creation of a “World Salvation Army” under the mandate of the General Assembly to intervene in humanitarian and climate disasters.
He further proposed subordinating financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, to a reformed UN that prioritizes life over capital interests.
The speech served as the end to a multi-day agenda in the US that centered on a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. This visit marked a significant diplomatic turnaround for Petro, who in late 2025 had his US visa revoked following a controversial speech in New York. The current mission, described by his delegation as a “relaunch” of bilateral relations, balanced these contentious proposals with discussions on security and narcotics cooperation.