Colombia's Outgoing President Petro Faces Backlash Over 'Heil Hitler' Tweet
Colombia's outgoing President Gustavo Petro posted the phrase "Heil Hitler" on social media in response to an op-ed supporting a right-wing presidential candidate, sparking condemnation from Israeli officials and Latin American lawmakers. Petro defended the post as criticism of fascist language in the op-ed, but Israeli leaders and a coalition of 24 lawmakers from 14 Latin American countries called the rhetoric inappropriate and warned against trivializing Holocaust memory. The incident reflects broader concerns about the normalization of Nazi references in political discourse and comes amid Petro's pattern of invoking Nazi comparisons against political opponents.
Colombia's outgoing President Gustavo Petro posted "Heil Hitler" on social media Sunday in response to an op-ed endorsing right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella ahead of the country's June 21 runoff election. Petro defended the post by arguing he was critiquing fascist language used by the op-ed's author. However, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon and Israel's Foreign Ministry condemned the statement, with Danon calling it a "disgraceful low" and demanding an apology before Petro's scheduled UN Security Council presidency. A coalition of 24 lawmakers from 14 Latin American countries, organized by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, issued a joint statement warning that using Nazi references as a rhetorical tool distorts Holocaust memory and undermines democratic discourse. The incident is not isolated; Petro has a documented history of invoking Nazi comparisons against political opponents, including calling Israeli security officials Nazis and previously likening Israeli actions to Nazi Germany following the October 7, 2023 attack.
How coverage differed
The Times of Israel provides more extensive context about Petro's broader pattern of Holocaust analogies and antisemitic rhetoric, including his 2024 severance of diplomatic ties with Israel. The New York Post emphasizes the political timing of the incident relative to the June 21 runoff election and notes that the opposition candidate is Trump-endorsed and a front-runner, framing it more as a domestic political controversy alongside international condemnation.
What different sources said
- Times of IsraelCenter
Colombia’s outgoing president under fire over ‘Heil Hitler’ tweet
- BreitbartFar Right
Colombia's Gustavo Petro at the U.N.: 'We're Returning to the Nazis'
- New York PostRight
Two dozen Latino lawmakers come together to slam Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s ‘Heil Hitler’ tweet
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