In an interview, the president of Argentina repeats criticism of the Colombian leader and calls Gustavo Petro a “terrorist murderer”
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported this Wednesday (March 27, 2024) that expelled Argentine diplomats from the country. The measure came after the Argentine president, Javier Milei, called the Colombian leader, Gustavo Petro, “terrorist killer”.
In a statement, the Colombian government stated that “the Argentine president’s expressions deteriorated the confidence of our nation, in addition to offending the dignity of president Petro, democratically elected”. The decision will be communicated to the Argentine Embassy. Here is the full statement (PDF – 570 kB).
Milei’s statement was given in an interview with CNN. When referring to Petro, the libertarian said that “You can’t expect much from someone who was a terrorist murderer.”. He also criticized the government of Venezuela and Cuba, without mentioning presidents Nicolás Maduro and Miguel Díaz-Canel. Only an excerpt of the material was released this Wednesday (27th March).
Here is what Milei said:
“The carnage that is Venezuela is truly unprecedented. The same as the prison island of Cuba. So, then there are other cases that are on the way… No? Let’s say, as was the case in Colombia with Mr. Petro, that, let’s say, you can’t expect much from someone who was a terrorist murderer, right? Communist.”
Watch:
Milei referred to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador as “ignorant”.
“It is a compliment that an ignorant person like López Obrador speaks ill of me, it exalts me”told the program “Oppenheimer Presenta”, on CNN en Español.
MILEI X PETRO
Despite the tense diplomatic relations between the 2 countries, Milei does not back down from his speeches directed at the Colombian leader. This was the 2nd time that the libertarian referred to Petro as “assassin”.
In January, the president of Argentina said that the Colombian was one “murderous communist”. In response, the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Argentine leader’s statements were “disrespectful and irresponsible”.
The tension between Milei and Petro began after Javier Milei was elected in November last year. On that occasion, the Colombian president lamented the result of the Argentine election: “Sad for Latin America. Neoliberalism no longer has a proposal for society, it cannot respond to humanity’s current problems”.
