Colombian President Fires Beijing Embassy Staff for “Sabotaging” China Outreach

President of Colombia Gustavo Petro speaks during the 80th session of the UN’s General Assembly (UNGA) on September 23, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered staff at his country’s embassy in Beijing to be removed, accusing them of undermining outreach efforts to China.

“There is a foreign ministry [here] that feels ashamed of engaging with China and sabotages relations. All those people have to go,” he told a gathering of ministers on Tuesday. He accused the staff of cancelling meetings without approval and altering his schedule during a visit to Beijing earlier this year.

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