New Times in Sight for Colombia
By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer
The winds of change blowing across Latin America have freed yet another country in a democratic manner from the tyrannical tentacles of the US.
Colombia has been liberated by its voters at the presidential polls where the people rejected the US-sponsored candidate Rodolfo Hernandez in Sunday’s runoff referendum, where Gustavo Petro emerged as the new head of state.
The 62-year old former guerilla leader, who during the presidential campaign had promised to transform the country into a social model for the betterment of all sections of the Colombian people by throwing off the capitalist yoke, has been given the mandate to form a broad-based national government.
Petro had also vowed to re-establish relations with Venezuela if elected, and his promise of reforms includes taxing of big landowners, ending the awarding of oil exploration licenses and revival of diplomatic ties with the socialist government of neighbouring Venezuela.
The US is in a state of shock but obviously cannot do anything, except for its criminal habit of resorting to economic terrorism through imposing sanctions or political subversion by instigating the military to launch a coup.
Analysts, however, point out that these stale policies of Washington have failed miserably in several Latin American countries, and have no chance of succeeding against a person who managed to garner the most votes in the history of Colombia.
In addition, Petro’s record of success during his tenure last decade as the elected Mayor of Bogota who in 2013 had received the worldwide “Climate and City Leadership” award, because of his metropolitan achievements based on protection of the fragile natural environment, is widely acclaimed by all sections of the people.
To the frustration of the US, he is now all set to focus on his election promise of pursuing a climate friendly policy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through end of fossil fuel exploration in Colombia.
Petro has pledged to raise taxes on the wealthiest 4,000 Colombians and said that neoliberalism would ultimately “destroy the country.”
His election victory has been hailed by the Colombian masses, ready to protect their homeland from American meddling, especially after the second independence of Colombia, which in 1810 had fought and defeated Spanish colonialism.
President Nikolas Maduro of Venezuela in his congratulatory cable to Petro has rightly remarked: “The will of the Colombian people, who came out to shield the pathway of democracy and peace, was quite spectacular. New times are thus in sight for Colombia.”