Mexico City.- President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her solidarity with the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, after he accused a coup attempt in his country.
“Before starting, I want to make public and evident our solidarity with President Petro,” declared Sheinbaum at the beginning of his morning conference.
“The National Electoral Council of Colombia, two years after the election, opens an investigation into campaign expenses and yesterday he (Gustavo Petro) calls it a coup d’état, because even outside the laws of Colombia, it is opened this investigation process,” explained the President. Sheinbaum referred to the Petro Government in Colombia, highlighting its political orientation, as he noted that Petro is practically “the only progressive President that Colombia has had.”
Furthermore, he reaffirmed the support and solidarity of his Administration towards the Colombian government.
The statement comes in the context of a recent decision by the Colombian electoral authority. The National Electoral Council (CNE) of Colombia announced yesterday the beginning of an administrative investigation against President Gustavo Petro for allegedly violating spending limits in his 2022 presidential campaign. César Lorduy, president of the CNE, reported in a press conference that Petro and some members of his campaign team “are accused of allegedly violating the spending limit” for an amount equivalent to approximately $925,000. Although this investigation could result in financial fines for the Colombian President, it does not imply the loss of his position. However, experts point out that the CNE has the power to send a copy of the investigation to the Lower House, which could lead to an impeachment against Petro. Among those investigated are Ricardo Roa, who served as Petro’s campaign manager in 2022 and currently heads the state oil company Ecopetrol, as well as the campaign’s treasurer. The investigation also reaches leaders of Colombia Humana and Unión Patriótica, the main left-wing political movements in the country. Faced with this situation, President Petro reacted strongly on social networks, writing: “The coup d’état has begun.” Later, during a public event, he called for popular mobilization: “The president will go as far as the people say (…) the time has come to move (…) they believe they have the right to mock the popular vote and “There is no kneeling people here.” According to the CNE, the investigation is based on the fact that Petro’s campaign had decided to “omit the reporting of some expenses for electoral propaganda.” In addition, it is noted that no contributions were reported from the country’s main teachers’ union (Fecode) or from an Ecopetrol union.
With information from AFP.
#Sheinbaum #expresses #solidarity #Petro #coup #détat