The 5 signs of moderation that Gustavo Petro sent in his first speech after his historic victory in Colombia

From a great national agreement to reform Colombia to dialogue with the United States on the climate crisis, passing through the defense of capitalism: Gustavo Petro he turned away from radical ideas in his first speech as the first elected president from the left.

The 62-year-old senator and former guerrilla will assume power on August 7 for four yearsbreaking a long tradition of conservative and liberal governments, and ushering in a new political era overloaded with expectations and not a few fears.

LOOK: How the M-19 guerrilla movement operated and what role Gustavo Petro had

Here are some excerpts from his first message to the country and the region:

1.- Maximum consensus

Given the wounds and division left by these elections: “a great national agreement to build the maximum consensus that the reforms allow us that make family life a better life.”

“It is not a change to deepen sectarianism in Colombia (…) the change consists precisely in leaving hatred behind, in leaving sectarianism behind”.

“We want that Colombia In the midst of its diversity, let it be a Colombia (…) we need love, understanding the politics of love, as a politics of understanding, of dialogue, of understanding each other”.

2.- Environmental diplomacy

“We want Colombia, and it will be the priority of diplomatic policy, to be at the forefront in the world in the fight against climate change.”

“The time has come to sit down with the United States government and talk about what it means that (…) greenhouse gases are emitted there like almost no other country, which we assume here with our Amazon rainforest.”

“Today it is necessary that Colombia try to save the Amazon jungle in order to save humanity.”

3.- Capitalism

“It was a campaign of lies and fear, that we were going to expropriate Colombians, that we were going to destroy private property (…) frankly here I would tell you the following: we are going to develop capitalism in Colombia. Not because we adore it, but because we first have to overcome pre-modernity, feudalism, the new slavery.”

“We want to move from the old extractivist economy to a new productive economy.”

“Only on the basis of growing economically, of producing, is that then we will also be able to redistribute (…) so that society is more egalitarian.”

4.- Opposition

“We are not going to use power in order to destroy the opponent.”

“There will undoubtedly be opposition and perhaps fierce and perhaps tenacious and perhaps we will not understand it, but in this government there will never be political persecution, there will only be respect and dialogue. This is how we can build the great national agreement.

5.- Peace and love

“Peace is that we stop killing each other. From the government that will begin on August 7, peace will begin in Colombia”

“Make sure that weapons stop firing, that weapons stop being used and exist outside the State.”

“It’s not killing each other, it’s loving each other.”

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.