Colombia’s dire president gets desperate
Gustavo Petro wants to save his legacy
IT has been a frustrating few years for Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first avowedly left-wing president. He was elected in 2022 on a promise to overhaul pensions, the health-care system and labour laws, and to dramatically reduce inequality. He also vowed to establish “Total Peace” by negotiating with all armed groups in the conflict-riven country. Yet Mr Petro’s pugilistic governing style has made it hard to get support in Congress, while the courts have held up some of his reforms. Exasperated, Mr Petro is now flirting with changing the constitution.
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This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “The desperation of Gustavo Petro”
From the June 28th 2025 edition
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