During a CNN interview with Andrés Oppenheimer on CNN En Español, President of Argentina Javier Milei affronted the Colombian president Gustavo Petro by calling him a ‘terrorist murderer’. He also called the Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador ‘ignorant’.
Mr Milei, a famously far-right leader referred to the societal deterioration in Venezuela and Cuba and hinted that Colombia may undergo the same treatment under far-left Gustavo Petro. The insult itself, a ‘terrorist murderer’ referred to Mr Petro’s history as a fighter in the M19 guerrilla arms movement.
Petro’s Past Involvement
In 1985, the arms group stormed the Palace of Justice in Colombia as part of a war against the Colombian state, and took over 300 people hostage. While Petro makes no effort to hide his past, but Milei calling him a terrorist 30 years later may still sting.
In response, the Colombian president extracted all diplomats from the Colombian embassy in Argentina. This has sent the relations between both South American countries into a downward spiral.
Some Lines said by Mr Milei from the Interview, sourced from Yahoo News:
“In Venezuela, there’s carnage, it’s truly unprecedented, same as on that prison island, Cuba”
“And there are others who’re going down that road, such as Colombia with Mr Petro”
“Well, you can’t expect much from someone who was a murdering terrorist, right?”
The Infamous President of Argentina
Milei is infamously known for his fruitful and colourful language. Last year he insulted Pope Francis to his face, calling him an ‘imbecile who defends social justice’. Although the Pope dismissed these remarks, the Latin American press was not so forgiving.
Milei is also known for his peculiar ideas as a far-right leader who many perceive to be a dictator. He has expressed his indifference for safe sex marriage and encourages the legalisation of drug distributions. This does not align with his supposedly conservative views.
Due to this, the remarks from Milei are surprising, but not difficult to comprehend. Remarks like this have occurred before, but the extraction of diplomats from Argentina may cause further consequences.
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