The opposition recalls its revolutionary past to sow doubts about the new stage that is opening in the country
The first leftist government in the history of Colombia takes office this Sunday with the aim of changing the country. Gustavo Petro Urrego, 62 years old, president elected in the second round on June 19 with more than 11 million votes (50%), based his entire electoral campaign not only on uniting a Colombia divided in two, but also on turning it into a world power of decent life. It is the main promise that stands out in his program the Historical Pact, a political group led by Petro.
This country in northern South America, which has more pages written in red ink for being one of those that constantly lives in the struggle for peace, but ends up being one of the most violent on the continent; with one of the greatest inequalities in the world, and marked by corruption, it faces a historic challenge starting tomorrow and for the next four years. It promises to be an innovative government, with great objectives such as democratizing knowledge and education, an energy transition, fighting for reintegration with nature, seeking health for life, valuing more the cultural strength of indigenous peoples and the Afro-Colombian population, and prioritize a policy of dialogue and understanding.
Gustavo Petro reaches the presidency of Colombia after having gone through all the political courses. He was a public official, councilman, representative to the Chamber, senator and mayor of Bogotá, the country’s capital. But he was also a revolutionary and his record will always show that he belonged to the extinct guerrilla group M-19. And it is in that past that many of his opponents base themselves to sow doubts about whether the first leftist government that Colombia has in its history will end up leading the country to a new Venezuela, Nicaragua or Cuba.
However, since he was elected, Petro’s actions and his speech have generated an air of confidence and positivism in the public. In addition to the political phenomenon that has led to the leading role of Francia Márquez Mina, who will occupy the vice presidency, an Afro-Colombian environmental fighter, the new president has appointed people who offer confidence to the citizen for the Ministries of Finance, Culture, Education, Health, Environment and Agriculture. Until yesterday, Petro had not yet formed his entire cabinet, a fact that is awaited with expectation in the country.
Colombia tomorrow will live a party different from those it has experienced in previous inaugurations of a president. He does it on a historical date in which he celebrates the Battle of Boyacá, which gave way to the country’s independence. It is an act in which some protocol issues have been eliminated to turn it into a more cultural possession, with the participation of more than 1,000 artists in different places in Bogotá. One more act organized for the citizens, in which the president, together with his family, will take a tour of a street that will be full of symbols of peace, biodiversity and with the presence of representatives from each of the country’s regions . Previously, last Thursday, Petro traveled to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, to carry out a symbolic act with the Arhuaca community who gave him the baton of command.
100,000 guests
Petro’s inauguration will have 100,000 guests, including King Felipe VI of Spain, and presidents Gabriel Boric (Chile), Alberto Fernández (Argentina), Luis Arce (Bolivia), Guillermo Lasso (Ecuador), Mario Abdo Benítez (Paraguay), Laurentino Cortizo (Panama), Luis Abinader (Dominican Republic), Xiomara Castro (Honduras) and Rodrigo Chaves (Costa Rica). Joe Biden, president of the United States, has sent a delegation that will be chaired by Samantha Power, director of the international agency for development. Mexico will be present with the first lady, Beatriz Gutiérrez. But Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua) and Miguel Díaz-Canel (Cuba) will not be there, who does send his foreign minister.
The security of the act will be in the hands of 15,000 members of the Public Force, 10,000 of the Police and 5,000 of the Army. Despite being invited by Gustavo Petro himself, the leader of the Democratic Center party, the great loser of the elections, Álvaro Uribe, has excused his absence because “for two years I have had a prison complex and I will not attend due to the modesty derived from my legal situation that I want to overcome.
On Friday, Gustavo Petro received from social organizations a proposal for an emergency plan to protect the life of a leader and social leaders in Colombia. According to the Somos Defensores program, in 2021, 996 attacks on social leaders were recorded, with 139 homicides, 665 threats and 93 attacks. Until July of this year, another study for the development of peace speaks of 102 murders of defenders and 26 signatories, which shows an upward trend since the signing of the Peace Agreement. Developing this agreement, which the outgoing government of Iván Duque practically blocked, is the great challenge of this Colombia that, starting today, will begin to live the dream of a change for Life.
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