Avianca Cancels Former President Gustavo Petro's Flight Tickets Due to US Sanctions

Avianca confirmed it canceled round trip tickets for former Colombian President Gustavo Petro for his recent trip to Mexico because he is included on the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list. The airline stated that because it operates in the United States and conducts transactions within the US financial system, it must comply with regulations administered by the OFAC. Specifically, the airline cited the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), which prohibits entities with US economic ties from providing services to blocked individuals. Avianca clarified that the decision was based on regulatory obligations rather than political or discretionary considerations and confirmed that the reservation costs were refunded.

Former President Petro disputed the airline's justification. He argued that the OFAC sanction is administrative and only applies to US persons. He further claimed that since Avianca is not a US company, denying him the tickets was an arbitrariness under Colombian law and a political exclusion. Petro suggested that the airline should be held legally accountable, similar to some banks, and called on Colombians in the United Kingdom to take action since Avianca is a UK company.

Petro's trip to Mexico included a lecture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and a meeting with President Claudia Sheinbaum. According to one report, Petro had previously requested that Donald Trump remove him from the list in July, shortly before leaving the presidency.