President Gustavo Petro Admits Failure of Proposal to Designate First Line as Spokesmen for Peace in Colombia

Colombia

Precisely in his speech at the Youth Council held in San Andrés, President Gustavo Petro publicly acknowledged that his proposal to designate the members of the First Line as spokesmen for peace has been unsuccessful.

“The State took revenge on them, the Prosecutor’s Office treated them as terrorists, generated a communication among the prosecutors throughout the country, that when a case of these young people came, The prosecutor in the case was already saying terrorism and they are still in jail.”

Likewise, the president pointed out that this action sends a clear message from the Colombian oligarchy: “Young people, don’t move, don’t protest, because look what is going to happen to you.”

In addition, he stressed that imprisoned youth become a trophy symbol for the authorities, noting that there are currently 305 of them behind bars. In his words, it would be more feasible to achieve his release if there was a youth mobilization that supports his cause, emphasizing that the protest is a right that must be recognized and defended.

Finally, the Head of State affirmed that youth have a fundamental role in the change of the country and that it is necessary to rethink the traditional forms of management, moving away from the schemes established until now.