Highlights: One year ago today, Colombia celebrated the coming to power of the first left-wing president in its history. Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla, had raised hope with his promises to fight corruption, inequality, violence and climate change. The eldest son of the head of state, Nicolas Petro, confessed last week that he accepted large sums of money from drug traffickers and businessmen. Calls for a national mobilization have been launched for next week to demand the resignation of the president, El Tiempo reports.

In the News: The first anniversary of the Petro presidency in Colombia

Colombian President Gustavo Petro delivers a speech at the inauguration of a session of Congress in Bogotá, Colombia, Thursday, July 20, 2023. © AP - Fernando Vergara

Text by: Stefanie Schüler Follow

Advertising

One year ago today, Colombia celebrated the coming to power of the first left-wing president in its history. Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla, had raised hope with his promises to fight corruption, inequality, violence and climate change. But this first anniversary of the Petro presidency is completely overshadowed by a huge scandal: that of dirty money in the financing of his electoral campaign.

The eldest son of the head of state, Nicolas Petro, confessed last week. Yes, he accepted large sums of money from drug traffickers and businessmen with links to paramilitary groups and other criminal organizations. And yes, some of that money went through his father's campaign, undeclared. After the Attorney General, the National Electoral Council and the Colombian Congress have also opened investigations. Calls for a national mobilization have been launched for next week to demand the resignation of the president, summarizes El Tiempo.

Gustavo Petro himself does not deny the dirty money in the financing of his campaign, but assures that he was not aware of his son's actions. The Peruvian newspaper El Comercio praises "the attitude of the president. Gustavo Petro assured the judicial and tax authorities that they were free to act in accordance with the law, without pressure from the presidency. But for a president who has repeatedly denounced the "traditional politics" of clientelism, corruption and links to illegal activities, these accusations from his own family have a particularly bitter taste. If Petro wants to maintain its legitimacy for the next three years, cooperating in investigations and respecting institutions is its only viable path," warns the editorialist.

The first year of the Petro presidency 'rich in symbols'

The daily La Hora believes that "Gustavo Petro's first year as Colombian president was rich in symbols, from the systematic presence of the Indigenous Guard in official events to the week-long relocation of the seat of government to La Guajira, the department with the highest poverty rate. These symbols are necessary to highlight a population made invisible, to finally thematize the wounds and scars of the country as well as their causes.

Gustavo Petro can also boast of the first tangible results of his program "The reduction in unemployment and inflation and the adoption of tax reform, the cornerstone of its policy against inequality, because the money collected must be used to finance more social programs. Not to mention the reactivation of trade and diplomatic relations with Venezuela, which has resulted in a 91% increase in exports to the neighbouring country. And finally, Gustavo Petro's commitment to public education has led to a sharp increase in university enrolment. Since the adoption of a law that makes undergraduate programs free, 18,000 more students will attend Colombian faculties, which is remarkable.

" READ ALSO Colombia: after the confession of the whitewashing of the son of the president, the reactions multiply

Gustavo Petro's promises of change remain a dead letter

But other promises of change from Gustavo Petro have so far remained a dead letter. This is particularly the case for major social reforms, such as those of health, pensions and the Labour Code, notes El Pais. The local newspaper in Cali recalls that the government does not have a majority in the Colombian Parliament. "While the formation of a coalition in support of the ruling party initially suggested that promised reforms could progress, these eclectic unions proved fragile, and the support enjoyed by the Petro government at the beginning ran out.

The newspaper El Heraldo denounces the ideological imprisonment of the head of state. "Instead of opening up to all the political, economic and social actors in the country, he surrounds himself exclusively with people who share the same ideas as him, thus depriving himself of valuable support." The daily El Espectador agreed: "Gustavo Petro drew on social movements to build his team. While it is true that in this way a whole section of the population hitherto excluded from political decisions has been able to enter the national arena, the fact remains that these personalities often lack the technical experience necessary to occupy the positions to which they have been appointed. The result of this way of governing: chronic instability within the ministerial cabinet and a growing mistrust of the economic sector vis-à-vis often erroneous government statements," the newspaper said.

The head of state says he is still supported by the majority of his compatriots. "According to a poll, 80% of Colombians want to see my government and our political projects succeed," Petro told the weekly Semana. He concludes: "We have the majority of public opinion. If there were an election tomorrow, I would win again. We will see if the municipal elections, scheduled for October 29, will prove him right.

In the News: The first anniversary of the Petro presidency in Colombia

In the News: The first anniversary of the Petro presidency in Colombia

The first year of the Petro presidency 'rich in symbols'

Gustavo Petro's promises of change remain a dead letter

Trends 24h

Latest