Ex-rebel Takes Oath As Colombian President In Historic Shift

Ex-rebel Gustavo has taken oath as Colombian President in a historic shift.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Gustavo Petro, a former rebel fighter, has been sworn in as Colombia’s first left-wing president.

The former member of the M-19 armed group took his oath of office in Bogota’s Bolivar Plaza on Sunday afternoon, pledging to unite the polarised country in the fight against inequality and climate change, and achieve peace with rebel groups and crime gangs.

EDITOR’S PICK

• Ukraine War: West Must ‘Prepare For War’, Says Ex-Nato Chief As Putin Unleashes Cruise Missiles In Ukraine

• Elon Musk Stages $43bn Hostile Takeover Of Twitter

• Ukraine Crisis: Russia In Retreat As Putin Appears To Admit Defeat In Battle For Kiev

His inauguration was watched by some 100,000 invitees including Spanish King Felipe VI, at least nine Latin American presidents and other Colombians invited by Petro.

“I do not want two countries, just as I do not want two societies. I want a strong, just and united Colombia,” an emotional Petro said in his inaugural speech. “The challenges and tests that we have as a nation demand a period of unity and basic consensus.”

Petro, a 62-year-old former senator, has promised to revive scuppered peace negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels and to apply a 2016 peace deal to ex-members of the FARC fighters who reject it.

His foreign minister has said the government will hold dialogue with gangs and potentially give members reduced sentences in exchange for information about drug trafficking.

Armed groups should accept that deal, Petro said.
“We call on all those who are armed to leave their arms in the haze of the past. To accept legal benefits in exchange for peace, in exchange for the definitive non-repetition of violence,” Petro told the cheering crowd gathered under a bright Andean sun.

He also called for a new international strategy to fight drug trafficking, saying the United States-led war on drugs has failed.
“It is time for a new international convention that accepts that the war on drugs has failed, that it has left a million dead Latin.

FURTHER READING:

• Ukraine Crisis: Powerful Explosions Rock Kyiv After Russian Warship Sinks

• Ukraine Crisis: US To Give Heavier Weapons To Ukraine As Russia Plans Next Assault

• Ukraine Crisis: Russian Soldiers Raping Many More Ukrainian Women, Says MP

Americans during 40 years and that it leaves 70,000 North Americans dead by overdose each year. The war on drugs strengthened mafias and weakened states,” he said.

Click to watch our video of the week:

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611