Gustavo Petro must be tried for the crime against Miguel Uribe Turbay.

By: Carlos Alonso Lucio - 25/06/2025

Guest columnist.
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The photos of Gustavo Petro on stage with leaders of criminal organizations are as unacceptable as they are reprehensible. Seriously reprehensible. In other words, they deserve to be taken into account when convicting him in an impeachment trial.

What did he intend with them? To flaunt his prison pacts? What did he want to tell the country?

Two weeks after Miguel Uribe Turbay fell victim to hitmen, Gustavo Petro comes out to show off with Colombia's most notorious hitmen bosses.

What do you want to tell us? What do you want to tell us?

In the midst of the profound pain we feel over the attack on Miguel, a week after we marched praying for a miracle for his life, Petro comes out to inform us who his true allies are, the protagonists of his true "historic pact."

Yes, that's clear. The impeachment trial must be opened so that Gustavo Petro can answer for his responsibilities in the attack on Miguel Uribe Turbay.

No, I'm not referring to the criminal proceedings. That's another topic.

I'm referring to the Impeachment Trial.

There is enormous anticipation surrounding the investigation. We are all very anxious to see that the killers—both the perpetrators and the masterminds—pay the price for the atrocity they committed. Society demands justice.

What happens in a political crime like this is that there are not only criminal responsibilities, but also political responsibilities.

It's possible that in these types of crimes, criminal and political responsibility may come together. This has happened many times in history. This is the case with Maduro, Cabello, and Padrino, for example, who everyone knows are the ones who directly give the orders to kill, disappear, kidnap, and torture.

In this case, the attack on Miguel Uribe Turbay, we still don't know. There's still some room for doubt.

I'm reminded of the crimes committed against the presidential candidates in 1990, when Jaime Pardo Leal, Luis Carlos Galán, Bernardo Jaramillo, and Carlos Pizarro were assassinated. The country knew perfectly well that President Virgilio Barco had nothing to do with the crimes. On the contrary, his government was waging an extremely difficult battle against criminals. That's why the M-19 decided to honor the signing of the peace agreement over Carlos's assassination on the Avianca plane. Because we were convinced of the president's innocence and because we knew that returning to arms would mean falling into the criminals' trap. That's why the peace agreements were ratified and honored.

Imagine what the decision would have been if there had been even the slightest doubt about the government's involvement in the crime.

Therein lies the first major political problem arising from the crime against Miguel Uribe Turbay: the question of whether Gustavo Petro bears any responsibility.

In itself, the doubt exists because the country knows that Gustavo Petro, his government, and his party have no limits. Neither ethical nor legal. That they are capable of anything. This, in itself, poses an immense political problem. Perhaps the most serious one we face.

Imagine what happens in a country where society comes to understand that the person holding the presidency is capable of anything.

We have no choice but to wait for the investigations by the Prosecutor's Office and the Police to progress in order to establish who the perpetrators and masterminds were, so that they can be punished, and to find out if this time, once again in history, criminal responsibility and political responsibility are combined. As always happens with dictators, even with petty dictators.

But, I repeat: criminal responsibilities are not the same as political responsibilities.

Regarding whether Petro and his officials are criminally involved in the crime: there are doubts. To know, we'll have to wait for the investigations to progress. If they progress at all.

But as to whether Gustavo Petro and his officials bear political responsibility for the attack on Miguel Uribe Turbay, there is no doubt about that.

And that's why he must be tried in an impeachment trial. So that he can answer for his political responsibilities. That's what an impeachment trial is for. If, in addition, political responsibilities are combined with criminal responsibilities, then the impeachment trial must pass the case to the Supreme Court of Justice so that it can proceed with the criminal proceedings.

Why political responsibility?

Because Gustavo Petro uses violence in his political project. Because he incorporates and encourages the use of violence in his political strategy. This is the basis of militancy as a strategy: the use of violence in politics. Violent politics. Like the Nazis, the fascists, and the communists.

They used it when, in their power strategy, they paralyzed and vandalized the country for two months in 2021. They themselves have acknowledged this on several occasions.

He used it when he made pacts with criminal organizations to come to power.

He used it when they violated the democratic rules of the election campaign.

He used it when he gave free rein to organized crime with the alibis of Total Peace.

He used it when he abused his power to dismantle the Armed Forces.

He used it to threaten political parties and corrupt retail congressmen.

He used it to threaten senators who did not kneel before him and vote against the government.

He used it when he called all of us who marched against the government “murderers.”

He used it when he signed the decree against the Constitution, ignoring the warnings and outcry of all the jurists, except one.

He used violence when he incited Miguel Uribe Turbay. When he incited Miguel, his family, his history, his political positions, his opposition. In the end, when he incited his dignity, his intelligence, and his courage.

He used it and continues to use it when he goes out to show off, to flaunt, and to vindicate his alliance with organized crime. When he goes out to dismiss the pain and revulsion we Colombians feel over the attack on Miguel Uribe.

In a society that respects itself and commands respect, this cannot happen. This cannot be allowed to happen to anyone, least of all a political leader, and even less so to a president.

Gustavo Petro should stop talking about constituents. What's needed here isn't to change the Constitution, but to comply with it. Respect it, abide by it, and comply with it.

That's why, because Justice and Democracy demand it: change must begin with the Impeachment Trial.

«The opinions published herein are the sole responsibility of its author».