Colombia has officially appointed Jorge Ivan Ospina its first ambassador to Palestine, nearly seven years after the South American nation recognized Palestine as a sovereign state.
The move by President Gustavo Petro’s government formalizes Colombia’s diplomatic presence with an embassy in Ramallah, Rai al-Youm newspaper reported on Monday.
In May 2024, Petro severed diplomatic ties with the Israeli regime , accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Ospina’s appointment as ambassador, confirmed by Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia, marks a significant step in expanding Colombia’s recognition of the State of Palestine, first established in 2018.
Ospina, the former mayor of Cali and a close associate of President Petro, wrote in a post on X that he is committed to “denouncing the genocide that the Palestinian people are suffering today” and working toward the “freedom of those who live there.”
Colombia has consistently expressed opposition to Israel’s actions and has shown solidarity with the Palestinian cause. On Monday, President Petro reiterated his appeal to the United States to help stop “the Gaza genocide.”
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