OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro surprised President Gustavo Petro with a statement on Thursday, February 8, in which he supported the alleged “institutional rupture” thesis and spoke of “threats of interruption of the constitutional authority” of the president. State.
The text did not mention the blockade that occurred yesterday at the entrance of the Palace of Justice, where judges and officials were detained for more than five hours. However, hours later, the OAS issued another statement demanding respect for the autonomy of the Judicial Branch.
Senator Humberto de la Calle responded to this statement with a harsh letter to the secretary. The letter reads:
“I address you as the Senator of Colombia, an organization in which I adopt an independent position towards our government, within the terminology permitted by law, independent of both the government and the opposition benches.
And I do this with a mixture of astonishment, surprise and disgust at the statements contained in your statement of February 8, 2024, regarding the situation in Colombia, which is not only completely unacceptable, but also completely alien to the reality of our country. country.
Without a minimum of verification, he “demands that attempts by different political actors to undermine Colombia’s democratic process be stopped” is already a serious statement, to which you add with unusual boldness: “You condemn and reject threats of interruption of constitutional authority” President Petro .”
It is difficult to paint a more inaccurate and distant picture of Colombian reality. Perhaps the fact that the OAS is an organization composed of regional governments, as it is known, is a mitigating factor for this major blunder. It is clear that you have chosen to promote the argument put forward by the Colombian government. You chose the easy way to distance yourself from the truth, believing that this was how you fulfilled your duty at the OAS. But he did so with claims so categorical that they required prior and minimal verification that would allow him to use the balanced language one would expect from a dignitary with such high responsibilities.
I must tell you that in Colombia no one with even a minimum of sanity and common sense would be tasked with overthrowing the government. No political party, no union, no armed forces, no churches, no academia, no non-governmental organizations encourage, desire, or even imagine the desolate landscape you describe. To avoid making this unfortunate mistake, your obligation to listen to other sources was minimal.
Colombia suffers from a multitude of ailments and is affected by serious deficiencies. But it was not and will not be the country of the coup plotters. I invite you not only to look at current reality, but also to review the history of Colombia. This is not a country of coups. His lack of rigor led him to deeply attack the democratic spirit and profession of Colombians.
But there is a way to repair the serious damage it has done to us. Take inspiration from the Promotion of Democratic Culture Chapter of the Inter-American Democratic Charter to organize a broad forum where all visions can be heard and where government is not explicitly excluded. “A multi-party meeting involving all components of this society will enable you to help overcome our problems instead of making misleading statements like yours.”
Humberto de la Calle
Republican Senator
(You can read the OAS statement supporting President Petro here)
Source: Exame
I am Bret Jackson, a professional journalist and author for Gadget Onus, where I specialize in writing about the gaming industry. With over 6 years of experience in my field, I have built up an extensive portfolio that ranges from reviews to interviews with top figures within the industry. My work has been featured on various news sites, providing readers with insightful analysis regarding the current state of gaming culture.
