The nation of Colombia – and its polarizing President Gustavo Petro – have recently dominated headlines in connection with issues such as Cabinet resignations, tariffs, migrants and even whether cocaine is “worse than whiskey.” (The president says it’s not.)
It is critical that as news cycle shifts, we do not lose sight of President Petro’s divisive rhetoric, which endangers the South American country’s Jewish community of 5,000 people.
At a time of rising global antisemitism, Colombia needs leaders who execute concrete actions to promote unity, protect all communities and uphold the nation’s values of justice and equality.
At the start of 2025, President Petro deepened divisions in support of one-sided narrative, rather than foster unity or reflect on the difficult past year for the Colombian Jewish community.
In a January 6 post on X, he addressed the tragic situation in Gaza, but completely disregarded the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas as well as the hostages still in its grasp.
A los bebés muertos por los bombardeo en Gaza, se le suman ahora, los bebés muertos por el frío. La niñez de Gaza muere literalmente por el frío.Ayer en un programa de Caracol volvió una periodista a usar el dolor de las familias muertas por Hamás, a atacarme por mi posición… https://t.co/QWPSLaKG5s
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 6, 2025
After the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack – an unprecedented, brutal assault on Israel that saw more than a thousand massacred, countless acts of sexual violence and the abduction of hundreds of civilians in the largest attack on Jews since the Holocaust – the global response has been one of shock and condemnation. Yet President Petro did not condemn the Hamas massacre but instead used it as an insensitive opportunity to demonize Israel.
Hours after the October 7 terrorist attack, President Petro posted to X, “From a very young age, I studied the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and I know of the immense injustice that the Palestinian people have suffered since 1948. … Now the neo-Nazis want the destruction of the Palestinian people, freedom and culture.” He also linked a documentary to the post, stating it will explain “why the Palestinian people live one of the worst injustices in the contemporary world.”
Then, just two days after the massacre, President Petro posted on X to his 8 million followers, “I’ve been to Auschwitz, and now I see it mirrored in Gaza.” With the post, the president both trivializes the Holocaust, normalizes antisemitism and creates a direct threat to Colombia’s Jewish community, which dates back to the late 15th century and which primarily resides in Bogotá, the capital.
Gustavo Petro comapres "genocidal" Israel to Nazis
President Petro has since repeatedly accused Israel of genocide and drawn parallels to the Nazi regime. These comparisons are not merely irresponsible; they meet the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, widely regarded as the gold standard for identifying and combating Jew hatred.
Colombia itself has adopted the IHRA definition, as has more than 40 other countries that include the United States, Germany and Canada.
Instead of exercising responsible leadership and fostering productive dialogue, President Petro’s statements distort history and fuel a growing wave of intolerance that has already become violent.
Soon after October 7, the Israeli embassy in Bogotá was targeted twice in antisemitic acts. On one occasion, two hooded individuals spray-painted a swastika on the building, while on another, graffiti was smeared equating Zionism with Nazism.
There are other examples of the dangerous impact of the president’s rhetoric, including flagrant acts of antisemitism. In October 2024, just after the first anniversary of the October 7 terrorist assault, a restaurant in Medellín was vandalized by student protesters simply because the owner is Jewish.
Blaming the owner and any nearby Jews for a war thousands of miles away, the attackers shouted, “Murderers! Murderers!” while smashing whatever they could find and burning an Israeli flag.
Unfortunately, it is highly likely that we will see additional acts of antisemitism and other forms of hate in this climate of hostility. Antisemitism is a very real problem in Colombia, exacerbated by a president who, rather than safeguarding all communities, immaturely sows division and legitimizes extremism for political gain.
Colombia would be better served by leadership that embraces and safeguards its Jewish community, rather than one that contributes to antisemitism both within its borders and around the globe.
Maram Stern is the executive vice president of the World Jewish Congress.