Colombian President Gustavo Petro delivered a speech on Tuesday, accompanied by First Lady Verónica Alcocer and her daughter Antonella Mauricio Dueñas Castañeda (EFE)
Last week there was a scene that stunned a large part of the Peruvian population: a huge battalion of the National Police (PNP) marched through the old town of Lima, right in front of the judiciary. It was the strongest image seen by law enforcement in two months as mobilizations erupted against President Dina Boluarte’s government. It was a show of power and clearly a message of authority to those who continue to take to the streets to assert their demands.
When asked about the pictures, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said emphatically: “They are marching like Nazis against their own people, breaking the American Convention on Human Rights. The convention does not only apply to left-wing governments. Double standard who does it. It applies to all governments,” he noted. His comments were not well received by either the right-wing benches or the executive. Foreign Minister Ana Gervasi called Petro’s comments “unacceptable” and “out of place”.
Today, the Foreign Relations Commission, headed by former Congress President Maricarmen Alva Prieto, approved the motion dismissing Petro’s remarks and declaring him persona non grata. The majority was absolute: 13 votes in favour, 3 abstentions and no votes against. The document, supported by parliamentarians from various banks, claims that Petro’s comments “constitute an offense against our police force and the Republic of Peru by belittling the Holocaust and the Jewish people, many of whom are Peruvian.”
The motion suggests something stronger than disapproving of his words. She is calling on the Home Office and the Ministry of Foreign Relations “to ensure that everyone, within their powers, takes the necessary steps to ensure that Mr Petro does not enter the State’s territory”. This was supported by Maricarmen Alva himself, a Popular Action Congresswoman: “We call on migration to consider the possibility of not allowing him to enter the country. At least apologize.” The President of the Foreign Relations Commission added, “This doesn’t cut off diplomatic relations. It’s different stages. We can’t stop talking. Congress is a political jurisdiction and we have to defend our national police force. Petro’s facial expressions not come from a kind president. That comparison is shameful.”
In contrast, Silvana Robles, a congresswoman from Peru Libre, the party that put Pedro Castillo and his culture minister in power until his failed coup, said: “The right will not stop with its plan if our international relations collapse, any regime that supports the Abuses of the dictatorship of Dina Boluarte denounced”. Last December, the executive branch declared Mexico’s ambassador to Peru, Pablo Monroy, persona non grata and expelled him after the North American country granted political asylum to the Pedro Castillo family.
In any case, the deal against President Gustavo Petro still has to go to the plenary session of the House of Representatives for debate and eventual approval. The fact that the application did not receive a dissenting vote gives an indication of the impending panorama.
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