Colombian President Gustavo Petro joins Democracy Now! for an exclusive broadcast interview after his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he spoke of the need to end wars and stop the climate crisis. Petro is the first leftist to ever govern Colombia. He was elected in 2022 after campaigning to fight inequality and poverty, increase taxes on the wealthy, expand social programs, restore peace and end Colombia’s dependence on fossil fuels. He is a former M-19 guerrilla who went on to become the mayor of Bogotá and a senator before rising to the presidency. In Part 1 of the interview, Petro discusses his position on the war in Ukraine, the occupation of Palestine and the need for consistent international norms. “We’re neutral in any war, not because we don’t believe that there is an occupation [in Ukraine], but because, basically, we don’t believe in those who are inviting us to participate in war,” says Petro, “because many of the countries of Latin America … have suffered invasions by the same countries that today are extending an invitation to reject the invasion of Ukraine.”

Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Grenada, Argentina and so on — have suffered invasions by the same countries that today are extending an invitation to reject the invasion of Ukraine. Most of the Latin American countries rejected the invasions of Libya, Iraq and Syria, which were done for motives which today are illegal.

  • PugJesus@kbin.social
    21·
    1 year ago

    “We are neutral on genocide because we have beef with those who are opposing the genocide.”

    Okay, good, great, glad to see where these politicians would have stood when the UK and France declared war on Nazi Germany in '39 for invading Poland.