Bogotรก, Colombia – Luis Carlos mejรญa, โคfather โคofโ the recently deceased soldier Carlos Josรฉ Mejรญa, publicly refuted President Gustavo Petro‘s suggestion that his son โtookโ his own life due toโ aโ lack of financial resources, stating, “I am notโ a liar, president. โI return andโ repeat: respect โฃour โpain.” The exchange unfolded on social mediaโ platform Xโค (formerly Twitter)โฃ following remarks made by Petro โduring a public address.
Petro had asserted that inadequateโฃ salaries for soldiers โand police officers create a โฃsocietal vulnerability, questioning how individuals are expected to โขrisk their lives for a nation that doesn’t provide a “worthy โขminimum.” He further implied that financial hardship may โhave contributed to his son’s โdeath. Mejรญa respondedโข with a direct rebuke, demanding respect for his family’s grief.
This โis the latest development in aโฃ fraught back-and-forth between โขthe โคMejรญaโ family andโ President petro. Earlier, Mejรญa released a nearly two-minute video responding โขto Petro’s claim that “the extreme right” was manipulating theโค facts surrounding hisโค son’s death. In the video, โMejรญa confirmed hisโ family had given Carlos Josรฉ a Christian burial and imploredโ petro toโ refrain from politicizing the โขtragedy.
“I don’tโ needโค anything about you, I don’t needโ anything about your goverment,” Mejรญa stated in the video. “Myโฃ son โcould have had many shortcomings, but I โคcan guarantee president that if โคthere is something thatโข did โขnot miss my son โit was love. it wasโข created in a humble family, but honestโ and with values. โฃ(…) Respect our painโข as I don’t want to โคsee itโค for my โhouse and I thank you โfor staying away from our family and โฃour duel.”
The โคincident highlights ongoing tensions between the Petro administration and sectorsโ of โtheโ Colombian military and their families. Carlos Josรฉ Mejรญa’s death is currentlyโ under investigation by military authorities.