Colombia’s President Signals Concerns Over International Conflict

Colombian President Gustavo Petro emphasized on Thursday the need for Colombia to brace itself for potential international conflicts. His comments were made during the opening of a two-day conference hosted by the Supreme Court of Colombia, which has an academic focus.

Petro, maintaining a firmly anti-Israel position since Hamas’s attacks on October 7, suggested that the ongoing international turmoil might impact Colombia as well. He stated that the violence and conflict could reach South America, urging preparedness among Colombians.

“Under bureaucratic control at the UN, we will, in essence, expel Jews from our territory, hoping to turn them into allies who no longer identify as Jews but as those who harm Palestinians,” Petro claimed. He criticized the disconnect in perceptions around death, drawing parallels to the cultural acceptance of violence in some Latin American traditions. “They are accustomed to glorifying death—even that of an innocent child,” he remarked.

The president then reflected on Colombia’s historical patterns of violence, asserting that the struggle for peace in the nation feels as elusive as finding an oasis in a desert. “It’s not just theoretical; the fallout from Gaza, he suggested, could very much land here in Colombia. Aren’t we, as Latin Americans, aware of the broader geopolitical risks?” he questioned.

Petro, who has strained relations with Israel, mentioned that Colombia plans to sever all diplomatic ties and close its embassy by 2024. This decision follows a longstanding relationship that had soured amid intense criticism from Petro regarding Israel’s military actions against Hamas, which he has compared to Nazi Germany’s actions during World War II.

In response to Petro’s statements, Israel halted its security exports to Colombia, a critical support for Colombia’s efforts against various Marxist insurgents. Despite these tensions, Colombian officials reportedly continued exporting minerals until Petro accused them of undermining his directives.

Moreover, Colombia had previously been a significant supplier of coal to Israel. In August 2024, Petro enacted a law banning coal exports to Israel, based on claims that it was being used in military operations against Palestinians.

Petro characterized the alleged disregard for his coal ban as a “betrayal,” while attending a conference organized by The Hague Group, an anti-Israel coalition that includes the UN Special Rapporteur on Occupied Palestinian Territories. He referred to the rapporteur as a “hero of humanity” during their meeting in Colombia.