In an energetic speech, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has directed harsh words towards his predecessor, Iván Duque, calling him a “terrorist” for his alleged responsibility in the deaths of young people during the social outbreak last year. At a government event in the city of Cali, Petro did not hesitate to directly point out Duque and the Colombian State for the violence that was unleashed during the protests against the previous government.
«When 60 young people die, murdered by the State, burned, tortured, the question then becomes: who was the terrorist? “Who should be classified as a terrorist?” Petro questioned, underscoring the seriousness of the events that occurred during the demonstrations that shook the country between April and June 2021.
The protests, which began in response to the possible approval of a controversial tax reform, spread throughout the country, but it was in Cali, especially in neighborhoods such as Siloé or Puerto Resistencia, where social unrest reached its peak. According to reports from social organizations, more than 80 people lost their lives violently during the period of protests, with the majority of deaths attributed to alleged police abuses.
The current Colombian president did not spare his criticism, highlighting that the victims were not terrorists, but rather young people who were legitimately protesting against Duque’s government. “The 60 murdered in Cali by you were not terrorists, the terrorist was you,” declared Petro, generating a political and social debate about the responsibility of the State in the protection of human rights during demonstrations of this type.
Although the Ministry of Defense reported more than 14,000 rallies, marches and blockades during the social outbreak, attention is now focused on Petro’s accusations against his predecessor, which could intensify political polarization in the South American country.