“They cannot use freedom of expression to cover up slander and xenophobia”: Gustavo Petro once again lashed out against journalist David Ghitis

Gustavo Petro remains in the eye of public debate after calling RCN News columnist David Ghitis “neo-Nazis”, just like the team in that medium. In recent hours he posted another trill in which he dispatched himself against the character in question and responded to the harsh statement issued from that journalistic house.

The journalist José Manuel Acevedo, the director of that news program, said live and live that the presidential candidate's statements “immediately put the lives and integrity of those who work in this media outlet at risk,” he said.

In addition, from Noticias RCN they sent a statement in which they vehemently distorted the controversial statements of the candidate of the Historical Pact.

“At Noticias RCN we repudiate hate speech and stigmatization, for the infinite damage to personal and moral integrity that is caused to them. We reject the claims of Gustavo Petro, presidential candidate of the Historical Pact, who in a triune used disqualifying expressions against columnist David Ghitis and us as a media outlet, saying: “Neo-Nazis in RCN,” the statement says in its first paragraph.

What is more, they point out that what Petro said puts “at extreme risk those who speak out in the exercise of freedom of the press and expression”.

The previous comments did not go unnoticed by the fellow leader of Human Colombia, who spoke out through his Twitter account and urged the news company to rethink what they conceive as journalism.

“You cannot use freedom of expression to cover up slander and xenophobia,” said the senator, who called David Ghitis harshly.

Ghitis, for his part, also referred to the publication of the former mayor of Bogotá and, through his Twitter account, said that “a public figure and presidential candidate cannot be allowed to call a neo-Nazi who thinks differently from him even falling into messages of racial hatred. I announce that I will take legal action.”

What Petro said caused such a stigma in the country that the Foundation for Press Freedom (Flip) spoke out, assuring that the candidate's statements “stigmatize and generate a climate of violence against RCN.”

In a thread posted on Twitter, the organization explained why Gustavo Petro's statements “seriously injure freedom of the press.”

Likewise, the entity pointed out that reprimanding critical voices about the candidacies impairs the possibility of citizens to inform themselves and vote freely. “Candidates must understand that their speeches have repercussions and can promote violence, their duty is to respect the opinions of the press,” he added.

Faced with Flip's statements in this case, several netizens came out of step questioning the organization for “defending” the RCN columnist. Many cited the journalist's trills in which he makes strong accusations without argument and criticized his journalistic rigor.

One of those publications for which Ghitis is criticized is a photo of the members of the Historical Pact elected to be part of the Congress in the next period, with the message: “It is reported that 4 watches, 6 cell phones, 2 wallets and 7 wallets were lost at the meeting of the joint bench of the Senate and PH Chamber.”

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