Gustavo Petro proposes to convene democratic forces and gives a nod to Fajardo

Less than 24 hours after the winners of the interparty consultations were revealed, the first presidential debate was held with only three candidates present: Gustavo Petro, Íngrid Betancourt and Federico Gutiérrez.

During his turn, the candidate of the Historical Pact, Gustavo Petro, referred to the possible alliances for the first presidential round to be held on May 29 and gave a nod to the sectors of the center.

The candidate took the opportunity to defend Sergio Fajardo and acknowledged that he is an important political force. “The fact that Sergio Fajardo isn't here doesn't make it non-existent. It is not in the debate, but it is in politics. They got 2.2 million votes yesterday. It exists. Unite, it would be nice. I propose to you: unite so that there can be better competition here. Join us so that there will be better competition here. Don't split up.”

Finally, he said that he would call on all democratic forces in the country to be able to become president and promote a “politics of life”. “I would call for all these democratic forces in the country to come together in a policy of life. Let's discuss it. Let's see if an agenda is finally possible. They have always ruled the same ones. It is a hereditary democracy, in quotes. I invite you to come together around that national purpose.”

Regarding relations with the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela, Petro has repeatedly said that he would restore them, although he does not recognize that this political model supports guerrillas such as Iván Márquez and alias Romagna, among others.

“I don't know if Maduro is president at that time. But relations must be recovered with the Venezuelan State, because what is causing is blood and death. The border has been handed over to the mafia,” said the leader of Humana Colombia.

On the side of the regulation of marijuana and illicit drug use, the official candidate of the Historical Pact has been in favor of legalizing it. He has even said that it is “more dangerous that it is illegal than legal”.

In fact, he has even referred to how other political leaders take advantage of marijuana: “I already think the issue of marijuana is stupid to keep it underground, so that the relatives of former presidents do the business of exporting legal marijuana, and instead bomb the farmers and their children who produce bombs marijuana in Cauca,” he added.

With regard to aerial spraying of illicit crops, Petro has been reluctant to that initiative and has said that he would not implement such a move in a possible government of his own. “Not even for the chiras!” , he said when asked whether he would use it to combat cocaine planted in various sectors of the country. “A one-hectare spraying with glyphosate is worth about 350 million pesos today. That can buy the best land in the country for those same farmers and solve the problem,” he added.

This year, Colombia's Constitutional Court made a historic decision decriminalizing abortion until week 24. Candidate Petro had controversial public opinion by stating that he wanted “zero abortion” in the country; however, after the high court ruling, his perception changed.

“I have my conflict, I will confess it, but I would create a women's council if we are government. I agree that abortion should be decriminalized and I believe that the State must seek conditions so that unwanted pregnancy does not happen,” Petro told a radio station; days ago she also congratulated the women who achieved the ruling issued by the Court.

“I congratulate the women who waged the fight against the criminalization of abortion that criminalized and killed them. Of them is his triumph. The empowerment of women that emerges from here, sex education and freedoms are the best way to protect life,” said the candidate with the most votes today in the interparty consultations.

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