Colombian Conservatives Seek Soft Coup Against President Petro

On Wednesday, over 400 world-renowned progressive politicians and intellectuals denounced that far-right forces are trying to carry out a coup d'etat against President Gustavo Petro.

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"We call on the friends of the Colombian people and allies of democracy to oppose these infamous tactics and prevent the advance of a soft coup in Colombia," reads the letter, which was signed by personalities such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Spanish jurist Baltasar Garzón, British Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, former French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, former Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez, former Colombian president Ernesto Samper, and former Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa.

“Ever since the election of the country's first progressive government — led by President Gustavo Petro, Vice President Francia Marquez and the Historic Pact in Congress — Colombia's traditional powers have been organizing to restore an order marked by extreme inequality, environmental destruction, and state- sponsored violence,” they said.

The signatories warn that these conservative forces seek to halt Petro's reforms, intimidate his supporters, and defame his image through a smear campaign launched by the media conglomerates. In this way, the conspirators seek to generate the political and discursive conditions to justify legal proceedings against the Historic Pact leaders.

The tweet reads, "Mobilization in support of government reforms heads downtown for rally at Bolivar Square."

“From the Offices of the Inspector General and the Attorney General respectively, Margarita Cabello and Francisco Barbosa are actively targeting members of the Historic Pact with investigations that may result in the suspension, dismissal and disqualification of members of Congress such as Senator Alex Florez, Senator Alexander Lopez, House President David Racero, Representative Susana Gomez, lead peace negotiator Maria Jose Pizarro — and even President Petro himself,” the progressive personalities wrote.

Besides manipulating the laws for anti-democratic purposes, the Colombian far-right is working surreptitiously within the Police and Army to undermine the Petro administration's effectiveness, authority, and legitimacy.

“Former generals, colonels, and members of the Colombian military have not only proclaimed their opposition to President Gustavo Petro — but even marched outside Congress to call for a coup d’état against his government,” the letter firmamtnes recalled.

“The goal of this coordinated campaign is clear: to protect the interests of Colombia’s traditional powers from popular reforms that would raise wages, improve healthcare, protect the environment, and deliver ‘total peace’ to the country.”