Héctor Abad Faciolince grew up in what had been one of the most violent cities in the world. Since Colombia gained its independence more than 200 years ago, it has suffered from political instability, military repression, and violent drug cartels.
His father, who accused the military of sponsoring death squads, was assassinated in 1987 by paramilitary forces that had turned his hometown of Medellín into a war zone.
But his brush with death came half a world away.
At the end of a trip in June that he and two compatriots hoped he could help build support in South America for Ukraine’s battle against Russiaa missile entered a restaurant full of people where they had just raised their glasses in toasts. At least 13 people were killed, including their guide, Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina.
“I could only think: they killed ussaid Abbot. “It was the last thing I could think of.”
Much of South America has avoided taking sides in the war. Longstanding views that a less Western, multipolar global order serves their interests have led governments to oppose the conflict but refuse to isolate Russia diplomatically, impose economic sanctions or supply Ukraine with weapons.
And many citizens, polls suggest, view the war as too far away to worry, a proxy war between global powers doing what they have always done: impose their wills on smaller countries.
An opposition to that apathy placed Catalina Gómez Ángel, journalist; Sergio Jaramillo, former Colombian Defense Minister who led the government’s peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces; and Abad in the line of fire.
They had attended a literary conference in Kiev, where they talked about a campaign created by Jaramillo, “Hold on Ukraine!”, which has collected supporting videos from Latin American politicians, intellectuals and artists.
After the conference, Jaramillo wanted to “take the campaign to the places where Ukrainians suffer the most.” Amelina offered to guide them through the hard-hit Donbas region to document stories of Ukrainian soldiers and families who had been victims of war crimes. They hoped to tell those stories at home.
They had ended their tour on a Tuesday in June in Kramatorsk, some 30 kilometers from the front and the devastated city of Bakhmut. Ria Lounge was lively and full of people. The companions raised their glasses.
“At that time there were no sirenssaid Abbot. “There was no hiss, nothing. Just something like an explosion that I’ve never felt in my life”.
Abad, Gomez and Jaramillo suffered minor injuries. But Amelina, one of Ukraine’s best-known young writers, died four days later. She was 37 years old.
The attack prompted President Gustavo Petro of Colombia to publicly condemn Russia for the first time since the invasion, calling on his country’s Foreign Ministry to “deliver a diplomatic note of protest.” But three weeks later, in Brussels, at a summit of European, Caribbean and Latin American leaders, he took the middle ground. “There is definitely an imperialist invasion of the Ukraine,” he said. “But what would you call what happened in Iraq? Or in Libya? Or in Syria?
Many South American leaders have more pressing priorities than war, such as economic stagnation and skyrocketing inflation, and fear the potential economic consequences of taking sides. Distrust of the United States, which has a long history of backing regime change in the region, including military dictatorships, also persists.
Juan Gabriel Tokatlian, professor of international relations and rector of Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires, said Latin America’s main concerns are inequality, poverty and recovery from the pandemic — and avoiding being caught again between competing superpowers. .
“Latin America lost development opportunities and experienced the dramatic costs of the Cold War“, said.
Ukraine’s supporters say it’s crucial that Latin America take an interest. Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, a political consultancy, said the war could redraw the global power map. “If Latin America wants a place at the table, it has to get involved,” he said.
While the South American Presidents were in Brussels, Hang in there Ukraine! throughout the City. Approximately two weeks after the missile attack in Kramatorsk, Abad and Jaramillo visited Brussels to promote their initiative and attend a tribute to Amelina. in the European Parliament together with Gómez.
“I hope they don’t lose this war”, Abad said about Ukraine. “Because if Ukraine loses, we all lose.”.
GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA. THE NEW YORK TIMES
BBC-NEWS-SRC: http://www.nytsyn.com/subscribed/stories/6831441, IMPORTING DATE: 2023-08-02 21:50:07
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