The decree, published on Colombia’s presidential website, is dated August 14, according to Bloomberg and will come into effect next week.
Petro, on his X social media account, said on Sunday that his country will no longer allow its thermal coal to be used for making Israeli bombs that are being dropped on Palestinian children.
The Latin American country is the biggest supplier of coal to Israel. Back in June, Petro announced that his country would suspend coal exports to Israel and supplies would resume “when the genocide” in Gaza stops.
The Colombian president cut diplomatic ties with Israel in May, saying that his country cannot maintain relations with the “genocidal” regime of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Petro has on various occasions spoken out against Israel’s conduct during its war in the Palestinian territory.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas welcomed Colombia’s decision.
Hamas also urged all countries to sever their relations with the fascist Israeli regime and act to impose sanction, isolate Tel Aviv, punish and try its leaders as war criminals.
Petro’s move is seen as to put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's regime to end its genocidal war on Gaza.
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