Like Benedetti, Sarabia, Jaramillo, and Petro himself, Saade has no brakes when it comes to corruption, destruction, and threats.
For over two years, I’ve been warning not just about the risks to democracy posed by President Gustavo Petro and his entourage, but also how this year is set to be catastrophic, as he aims to cling to power. This week closes with four grim events that showcase the threats we all face. Let’s take a look.
The first incident is his deceptive speech on July 20. It’s clear that the limits that a respectful citizen of democracy should adhere to, especially a president, don’t matter to him at all. The truth? Hundreds of lies in that speech indicate there’s no stopping him. The moral standard? Let’s take a case in point. The controversial Interior Minister, Armando Benedetti, remains in his position and now seems poised to become the chancellor. Could he end up like Carlos Ramón González, the Secretary General of this Government, accused of corruption and protected by Petro’s ally, Daniel Ortega, in Nicaragua? I wouldn’t be surprised if Petro, sooner or later, ends up like his Ecuadorian colleague Rafael Correa. As congresswoman Lina Garrido aptly remarked in her response to Petro, this government stinks of sulfur, not to mention that it smells like cr… which is well illustrated by Petro’s spokesperson, Matador, in his caricature.
The second point is his exit from Congress following the speech. Initially, the use of the Nazi salute, distinguishing it from a clenched fist, is just an anecdote, as both convey the same message, making it clear that this fight is full throttle. They’re out to destroy anyone who stands in their way. “They won’t leave a puppet with its head intact,” a knowledgeable source told me about Petro and his gang’s mentality and tactics. Adding to this grotesque incident were the shouts from Pastor Saade, a tragic figure who falsely claims to be a pastor, calling for Petro’s re-election, making their intentions crystal clear. Saade, along with Benedetti, Sarabia, Jaramillo, and Petro, show no restraint in their corruption, destruction, and threats. This is how this gang operates.
The third point is his agreement with the mafioso dictator Nicolás Maduro to create a so-called special economic zone in Catatumbo. First, we must recognize that sovereignty in Catatumbo has been lost for quite some time. For example, in October last year, the ELN blew up the oil pipeline in that area, and it remains unrepaired due to “unsafe conditions.” The ELN and FARC control the region, and when the Colombian government, under Petro, agrees with Maduro for this zone, they are legitimizing terrorist and drug-trafficking control over it.
There are two main reasons behind this agreement. First, all the coca produced there is sent to Venezuela for refinement and export under Maduro’s government control. Second, the ELN is part of the military structure of the Venezuelan Armed Forces. In 2021 and 2022, during skirmishes between Venezuelan Armed Forces and FARC in Apure state, the ELN supported the military from the neighboring country. In fact, in March 2022, Human Rights Watch denounced these joint operations. Finally, in January of this year, the ELN’s movement from Arauca to Catatumbo through Venezuela, coordinated by Diosdado Cabello, illustrates the deep-rooted connection between this terrorist group and the mafia-controlled Armed Forces ruling Venezuela today.
The fourth point illustrates that everything is bought and sold in this government. This is how they bought representatives in the House to elect a friendly president in that body, breaking previous agreements to elect a member of the Cambio Radical party. The Conservative Party changed its vote thanks to the efforts of two representatives, Ape Cuello and Juan Carlos Wills, to support Julián David López from the Party of the U. Clearly, they were bought, and that flip, gaining 25 votes, allowed Petro to install his ally in that important position. It’s evident that we must target these corrupt congressmen and focus campaigns against those who sold out to Petro. That’ll be another column with names and details, starting to hold them accountable for their misdeeds.
A week and four clear and strong messages. If the situation weren’t so serious, a column caricaturing Eduardo Montealegre with his fist raised would aptly depict who this little character is, once a magistrate, prosecutor, and now minister, and who also sells himself to the highest bidder. Not that he’s any better than the conservative or La U congressmen.
This is how the final year of Petro’s government begins. Are we ready? The political parties aren’t. The business sector isn’t either. Citizens are a bit more aware. We must be organized to peacefully take over the Palacio de Nariño when Petro suspends elections, to remove him, put him in prison, and allow the vice president to complete the term.
That’s the direction we’re heading towards, and this week confirms it.
@pachosantosoficial/ Revista Semana