Milei-Petro Row: Argentine President Calls Colombian President a “Terrorist”
Colombia has ordered the expulsion of Argentine diplomats from their embassy in Bogota over “denigrating” comments made by Argentine President Javier Milei towards Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
‘Denigrating’ Comments
The Colombian foreign ministry expressed its disapproval of Milei’s remarks, where he referred to Petro as a “terrorist,” “murderer,” and “communist” during an interview with CNN.
In response, the Colombian foreign ministry stated that Milei’s comments not only undermined the trust between the two nations but also offended the dignity of President Petro, who was democratically elected.
During the interview, Milei also criticized other regional leaders, including Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Colombia did not disclose the number of diplomats to be expelled or currently present in the country but mentioned that the expulsion process would be communicated to Argentina through diplomatic channels.
Historical Context
This recent incident is not the first time that tensions have arisen between Argentina and Colombia due to President Milei’s statements. In a previous incident in January, Colombia recalled its ambassador to Argentina after Milei described Petro as a “murderous communist who is sinking Colombia.”
In response, Petro defended his political ideology, emphasizing the importance of people’s control over the means of production rather than state ownership.
Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement, became Colombia’s first leftist president in August 2022. His administration aims to achieve “total peace” in a country plagued by decades of conflict involving various armed groups.
