Petro puts Colombia's diplomatic weight behind Arevalo in Guatemala

Colombia's President, Gustavo Petro, has united in support of Bernardo Arevalo in Guatemala. His diplomatic boldness, which has sparked friction and criticism on other occasions, earned him in this case a standing ovation from the Central American country heading to Davos (Switzerland), where he will participate starting Tuesday in the World Economic Forum. The umpteenth attempt to blow up the transfer of command, which could only be completed in the early hours of Monday, made…

Colombia's President, Gustavo Petro, has united in support of Bernardo Arevalo in Guatemala. His diplomatic boldness, which has sparked friction and criticism on other occasions, earned him in this case a standing ovation from the Central American country heading to Davos (Switzerland), where he will participate starting Tuesday in the World Economic Forum. The umpteenth attempt to blow up the command transfer, which could only be completed in the early hours of Monday, meant that some international guests at the ceremony had to leave before the swearing-in. Not the Colombian, who has remained steadfast in his promise not to leave until Arevalo takes office.

“The applause is worth it. “A struggle that must be fought,” Pietro wrote in a message accompanying a video of the applause moment on his favorite social network. “My personal position is the same as always, which is to fight for democracy from any point of view and from “Through many paths. That is why we launched a solidarity campaign that has helped in a certain way to ensure that the ongoing destabilization does not have an impact.” A trip to Davos if circumstances require it.

Petro, the first leftist president of modern Colombia, aligns himself with Arévalo's message and the anti-corruption Semilla movement. He had clearly taken his position regarding this Central American country only a year ago, even before Arevalo was considered a candidate in the August elections, when the Guatemalan Attorney General's Office, who was being questioned, unexpectedly accused his Defense Minister, Iván Velázquez. We will defend him, and he will remain our minister. “If Guatemala insists on arresting only men, we have nothing to do with Guatemala.” Although he summoned the Colombian ambassador for consultations, the proposal to sever relations with the government of Alejandro Giammattei did not materialize.

Petro confirmed at the time that Minister Velázquez was persecuted because of the interests he touched when he headed the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) between 2013 and 2017, which exposed the rot of the political class in the Central American country. In this position, sponsored by the United Nations, Velázquez dismantled dozens of corruption structures and clashed with several Guatemalan powers. He stepped on a lot of calluses, but he was well respected.

The accusation was brought by Public Prosecutor Rafael Corochici as a breakthrough in investigations into the case involving the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. The same prosecutor, who was interrogated in his country and described by the United States as a corrupt actor, in December requested the annulment of the election in which Arevalo was elected, which the Organization of American States categorically deemed “a state attempting a coup.” . Since Semilla's candidate won the elections, the Attorney General's Office headed by Consuelo Porras has tried to torpedo the inauguration of the President-elect by opening several judicial processes. From Spain's Pedro Sanchez to Chile's Gabriel Boric, the international community has condemned the maneuvers as an attack on democracy and supported Arevalo, but few have embraced the Guatemalan cause as enthusiastically as Petro.

Petro's rise to power a year and a half ago signaled the path taken by the new left in Latin America. His rhetoric in favor of combating climate change, reconsidering global anti-drug policy and seeking peace placed him on the international stage at the beginning of his term. Later, his excessive activity on social networks undermined Colombian diplomacy. Guatemala somehow allowed him to reassert himself after several false steps.

On the left in Latin America, they warn of the dangers of politicized justice, with significant differences from one country to another. Complaints Law warBan or overthrow attempts such as those suffered by Lula da Silva in Brazil have clouded regional politics. “Arévalo is a progressive, and Pietro feels that he belongs to what progressivism has identified as the main threat against democracy, which is lawfare, and he feels that Arevalo has been a victim of… Law war“, points out Mauricio Jaramillo, professor of international relations at the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá.

He adds that Petro wants to be a regional leader, and every time a constitutional tension arises, he seizes the opportunity to emerge as a defender of democracy. He also did this in the case of Pedro Castillo in Peru, who was removed from his position after a clumsy attempt to coup against himself, but this position caused him a torrent of criticism and blame at the time. The fame he gained in Guatemala allows him to rearrange his character in Latin America.

Putting Colombia's weight behind the legitimacy of Arevalo's election, without hesitation, has been successful, according to analyst Sergio Guzmán, of the consultancy Colombia Risk Analysis. “I applaud what Petro did in Guatemala, but we must see his democratic positions in a broader sense,” he explains. He adds: “Petro will also be judged by how democratic he is at home, and how responsive he is to the legitimate demands of the opposition.” For now, Colombia's president can point to a timely diplomatic achievement.

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