President of Colombia compared the attacks against Gaza to Nazi concentration camps; statements occur amid a climb of tension between Washington and Caracas
The president of Colombia, made harsh criticism of the Prime Minister of Israel, and the president of the United States, on Tuesday (9) during an event in Manaus (AM) alongside the President (PT). In the speech, Petro called Netanyahu a “friend of Hitler” and compared against Gaza’s attacks on Nazi concentration camps. “They have just bombarded the headquarters of negotiations in Doha, Qatar. This was done by Netanyahu. A civil boat was attacked that brought food to children, Palestine families. So we are facing a genocide as in Auschwitz. Identic,” said the Colombian. “And we have a Hitler behind it, and there are friends of this Hitler.… What’s the difference of what Netanyahu is doing today with what Hitler did?”
Earlier, Netanyahu’s office denied the participation of other countries in the attack on Hamas members in Qatar. “Today’s action against Hamas’ leading terrorist leaders was totally independent,” he said in a statement. “Israel started it, Israel led it and Israel assumes full responsibility,” said the official statement. In addition to Israel, Petro also directed criticism of Trump, condemning his actions against Venezuela. According to him, no South American country should support a possible US invasion.
The statements occur amid a climb of tension between Washington and Caracas. Asked by journalists about the possibility of attacking drug cartels within the Venezuelan territory, Trump replied only: “Well, you will find out.” The US president was talking in front of the White House before boarding to accompany the US Open final in New York.
The president of Venezuela reacted promising to defend national sovereignty and called for Trump to accept dialogue in order to avoid conflict. The speech was made after the US administration confirmed that US forces sank a boat in the Caribbean, attributed to the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua, accused of trafficking drugs to the US. The attack killed 11 people, but the version released by Washington was contested by the Venezuelan government.
Lula, Petro and Ecuador vice president, María José Pinto, participate in the inauguration of the Amazon International Police Cooperation Center. The initiative will promote collaboration between the nine Amazonian countries and the nine Brazilian states that make up the legal Amazon in facing crime. Petro also stressed that South America cannot align with governments that support “genocidal”, at the risk of also becoming a target. “We cannot defend a government that is next to the genocidas, otherwise the bombs will fall upon us,” he said.
The Colombian said he did not recognize the outcome of the last elections in Venezuela, but stressed that this “does not mean unaware of the country’s internal conflict”. For him, the Venezuelan crisis must be faced by political, not military way: “It is not resolved with missiles like Palestine.”
*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Fernando Dias
