Colau says US denied her visa for Puerto Rico summit
The former Barcelona mayor said consular officials questioned her only about her involvement in a Gaza aid flotilla when she sought to challenge the decision.
Former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau accused US President Donald Trump on 21 October 2026 of preventing her from attending a gathering in Puerto Rico because of her pro-Palestinian activism. She said US authorities had refused her online visa application for the meeting of progressive municipal leaders, scheduled for 3 and 4 November in Caguas.
Colau said she sought an appointment with the US embassy in Madrid to appeal the refusal. During that appointment, she said, consular staff focused exclusively on her participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla.
The flotilla attempted to reach Gaza in late 2025. Israeli forces intercepted Colau alongside other activists, and she spent three days in detention before being deported to Spain.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Colau leads Spain’s left-wing Broad Front coalition ahead of the election on 29 November.
