Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks, with a Colombian flag in the background. Photo: Colprensa.
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, said that “coups d’état must be resisted and defeated through the mobilization of the people. ”
He made this statement after retired Colonel John Marulanda expressed his desire for a coup in Colombia similar to the one carried out against President Pedro Castillo of Peru, during an interview on W Radio on Thursday, May 11.
“I believe that Colombia is following in the footsteps of Peru,” the right-wing military colonel and US-trained retired black hawk pilot said. “I believe that in Peru the reserves were successful as they were able to oust a corrupt president. Here we are going to try our best to oust a guy who was a guerrilla.”
El presidente @petrogustavo le acaba del responder a un ex General por proponer un GOLPE DE ESTADO Grabense la frase final de este video y pendientes a defender la democracia…
Todos a trinar #MancusoEnLaJEP y a compartir todo. Absolutamente todo lo que está confesando sobre… pic.twitter.com/clYmr9HxD5
— julyElProgreOriginal (@JulianProgre) May 11, 2023
In response to these statements, President Petro said, “Why are they conspiring for a coup? It must be because they are terrified that we will end impunity. The truth intimidates them so much that they are in despair.”
Petro stated that Marulanda wants to oust him from power because “for the first time a president, instead of taking away lands from the peasants and keep it for himself or give it to his friends, is handing land over to the peasants. That is why they want to carry out a coup against me.”
According to Petro, the conspirators “judicially hide what society already knows: the enormous corruption in the state, and the genocide, violence and terror unleashed on the people, are two sides of the same coin.”
¿Por qué conspiran para un golpe de estado¿ Porque les aterroriza que acabemos la impunidad. La verdad los acobarda tanto que van al desespero.
Ocultan judicialmente lo que ya la sociedad sabe: la corrupción enorme en el estado y el genocidio, la violencia y el terror desatados…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) May 11, 2023
The Colombian president added that “sectors strongly tied to impunity are trying to build a common front to destroy the constitutional government.”
“All the progressive people who elected me as president already know it,” Petro continued. “Those tied to impunity are terrified by the truth; they are not thinking about elections, but about a coup d’état. Will the Attorney General’s Office investigate?”
He stressed that his government will work to ensure ” justice, reparation for the victims, and the truth for a great national reconciliation.”
On Friday, May 12, Colombian news outlets reported that the Attorney General’s Office opened an ex-oficio investigation about Marulanda’s statements, on receiving a request from Colombian Defense Minister Iván Velázquez.
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Who is Marulanda
John Marulanda is a former helicopter pilot, trained by the US army to pilot Black Hawk helicopters. He has several degrees and diplomas from elite international universities such Ohio State University (Political Psychology, 1996), Cambridge (Negotiation, 2012), and Harvard (Crisis, Leadership Management and Communications, 2016.
Marulanda also worked as security advisor for the US oil corporation Schlumberger during 2002-2010. Since then, he has worked for a shadowy consultancy company called OPS Consultorias, according to his LinkedIn profile. Colombia is famous for security consultant companies that are mostly euphemisms for mercenary contractors.
(RedRadioVE) by Milena Bravo, with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SC
