Colombian president says his country must leave NATO due to its support of genocide in Gaza
Bogota, July 17 (RHC)-- Colombian President Gustavo Petro says his country "must leave" NATO during the emergency conference on Gaza, which wrapped up on Wednesday. "How can we stand with armies that throw bombs at children?" expressed the Colombian president at the Emergency Ministerial Conference on Palestine in Bogotá.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated: "We have lived Gaza in our blood; they also invaded us. And yes, we can criticize Hamas, but not the Palestinian people; they have the right to rebel because their lands were occupied."
He added: "Our Colombian lands were also occupied by the Spanish, one of our islands by the French and English, and Panama by the Americans, and they took territory from us." He finished. "A people who occupy "It deserves to be revealed; rebellion is not a crime," he said.
Given this context, Petro took aim at the US-led Atlantic military alliance and stated: "We must leave NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), there is no other way. And the relationship with Europe can no longer be based on European governments that betray their own people and are helping to drop bombs."
“Isn't it time for another military alliance? How can we stand with armies that drop bombs on children?” he asserted, referring to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
The statements were part of the closing session of the international summit of the Hague Group, an alliance comprised of Colombia, South Africa, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The joint declaration was signed by Colombia, South Africa, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which in its final document agreed to take a series of direct measures against Israel.
Suspension of Military Trade with Israel
At the conclusion of a ministerial conference held in Bogotá convened by the Hague Group, he announced a joint military embargo against Israel for the crimes committed in Gaza.
The Colombian president supported the measure taken by all the countries in the group, which consists of ceasing military trade with Israel as part of an ethical foreign policy that condemns all forms of occupation, racism, and structural violence. In this regard, Petro stated that "one cannot talk about freedom while a people like the Palestinians are being murdered."
The embargo includes the suspension of the trade in arms, dual-use equipment, military fuel, and all types of logistical support that may be linked to the Israeli offensive. The signatory countries will also restrict the docking and transit of ships carrying weapons related to Israel and will review all public contracts that directly or indirectly favor the occupation of Palestinian territory.
The decision was read by Colombian Deputy Minister Mauricio Jaramillo, who emphasized that these actions seek to curb war crimes and demonstrate that the Global South can act with dignity and determination in the face of injustice.
The joint resolution also demands that the UN Economic and Social Council urgently investigate the humanitarian situation in Gaza, with emphasis on the health and nutritional collapse affecting millions of civilians, and submit a detailed report to the next General Assembly.
The signatories of the declaration include Colombia, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iraq, Libya, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, among others. Latin American support was key in the implementation of the measure, consolidating a clear stance against the policy of extermination in Gaza and the passivity of the northern countries.
The Colombian presidency defended the need for multilateral action consistent with the principles of human rights and international law. Petro reaffirmed that the new multipolar world that is emerging cannot be built on indifference to the suffering of the Palestinian people.
