The government of Chile sent a note of protest to its Colombian counterpart on Monday after President Gustavo Petro’s disrespectful remarks against recently elected President José Antonio Kast became known.
The controversy erupted within hours … the morning the Colombian president’s comments were published on X, a social network where he declared that “I will never shake hands with a Nazi” alluding to Kast’s father’s controversial past in World War II Germany, who emigrated to Chile after serving in the army.
“Pinochet had to win by force, but it is sadder now that the people choose their Pinochet,” Petro added, highlighting Kast’s defense of the general and the military regime.
Although The opposition deputies had requested the protest, the Minister of the Interior, Alvaro Elizalde, He said “it’s already a decision made” to communicate the government’s displeasure.
Petro posted three different messages, one of which he said had been censored and in which he declared “from the south and from the north come the winds of death” and called on Colombians to resist with the sword of Bolivar.
The next one was even more difficult. “Fascism is on the rise, I will never shake the hand of a Nazi or the son of a Nazi either; It is death among human beings. It’s sad that Pinochet had to impose himself by force, but sadder now is that the people choose their Pinochet; Whether they are elected or not, they are Hitler’s children and Hitler is killing the people. “It’s the devil against life and every Latin American knows how to resist,” wrote.
Then, in the third, he assured “I hope that the Chilean youth will take care of Neruda’s tomb” and added “fascism in Chile will not last 40 years.”
strong response
Foreign Minister Alberto Van Klaveren announced at midday that, on the instructions of President Boric, he had delivered a note of protest to the Colombian ambassador to Chile, stating that Petro’s remarks were unacceptable.
“His statements constitute a lack of respect and inappropriate interference in domestic political matters, and they denigrate not only the elected president, but also the sovereign decision of the Chilean people and the democratic solidity of our institutions,” he said.
Along the same lines, Minister Elizalde declared that Chile is a democracy with a strong institutional framework where “the popular will expressed in elections is respected.”
About The Author
