Socialist Colombian President Gustavo Petro has been causing controversy in his country since the war broke out in Israel, after the attacks by the Hamas terrorist group last Saturday.
According to Voz Media, The Colombian president has dedicated more than 170 posts on X (formerly Twitter) in favor of Palestine, between replies, posts and shared content. In most of these posts, Petro has criticized Israel, even comparing it to the Nazi regime. He indirectly accused the Jewish state of committing terrorist acts against Gaza and also of carrying out a system of apartheid in recent decades against Palestinians.
Ya estuve en el campo de concentración de Auschwitz y ahora lo veo calcado en Gaza. https://t.co/DfuzwQSsZu
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 9, 2023
By contrast, Petro has not directly condemned Hamas, although he did say he opposed violence on both sides.
Petro's insensitive comments have generated so much controversy that the Colombian press and citizens are questioning their president's priorities. In the last week, he has been booed for arriving late to official events and he has barely commented about internal political and institutional issues, such as the unstable truce between the Colombian Government and the FARC guerrilla group.
“As a citizen, one is very disconcerted seeing the current president on social media,” Juan Felipe Vélez, Colombian writer and economist, told Voz Media.
"More so taking into account that he is a Latin American president who is governing a country with an armed conflict like Colombia, where he claims to be carrying out a peace process with armed groups, however, after two days of truce, FARC breaks the agreements and kills a soldier … In addition to that, kidnappings, massacres and the displacement of the civilian population are increasing in areas like Norte de Santander and Sur de Bolívar, and what you see is a president talking about Palestine all day; and fighting with ambassadors and former foreign ministers.”
“It is baffling because it is not clear what matters more to the president, the security of the Palestinians or the Colombians,” Vélez stated.
Petro supported by Hamas and questioned by the United States
Petro's comments in favor of Palestine and against Israel, in addition to bothering Colombians, were also the subject of criticism from the international community.
Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. ambassador to Colombia, condemned Petro's position this Thursday after the attacks by the Hamas terrorist group.
“We were shocked to see Colombian President [Gustavo Petro] compare the Israeli government to Hitler’s genocidal regime. We strongly condemn President Petro’s statements,” wrote the special envoy, who also asked the president to directly condemn Hamas.
-@StateSEAS: Nos consterna ver al presidente colombiano Gustavo Petro comparar al gobierno israelí con el régimen genocida de Hitler. Condenamos enfáticamente sus afirmaciones y le solicitamos que condene a Hamás, una organización designada como terrorista, por los crueles… https://t.co/SP5sUuEnyb
— US Embassy Bogota (@USEmbassyBogota) October 12, 2023
However, despite criticism from the United States, the media and many dissatisfied Colombians, Petro was supported by Hamas, which added the Colombian president in one of its associated Telegram groups on Oct. 9, as Voz Media was able to verify.
“The only way for Israeli children to sleep in peace is for Palestinian children to sleep in peace,” reads the Hamas message quoting Petro.
In this way, Petro joined the select group of state leaders who were added by Hamas in its Telegram group, accompanying North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who also sent messages in support of Palestine.
