Colombia's Petro to sue for slander after alleging family harassment

Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro has declared his intention to pursue legal action for slander and libel against individuals he accuses of defaming him, his family, and the progressive movement. The announcement came via a post on his social media account, just weeks before he is set to leave office.

Petro also leveled accusations of harassment against his parents, citing incidents allegedly carried out by supporters of the president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella. He stated that his 83-year-old mother, Clara Urrego, was insulted outside her home, and his 92-year-old father, Gustavo Petro Sierra, faced a demonstration outside his apartment. Petro has requested police videos of these events to support his planned legal complaints.

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once I finish my term on August 7, I will no longer have the condition of president of all Colombians. Therefore, I will file complaints and civil lawsuits for slander and libel against those who use 'their hatreds and complexes' to commit that crime against me, my family, or progressivism.

In his statement, Petro criticized both president-elect De la Espriella and the head of his transition team, former congressman Carlos Alonso Lucio, referring to them as "defenders of paramilitaries" and characterizing Colombia's current stage as "fascism." Petro urged progressives not to respond with violence, advocating instead for the use of judicial mechanisms. He also mentioned a strategy to file a motion to annul the election results, a move previously signaled by leaders within his political sector. Additionally, Petro called for the formation of unarmed "freedom guards" in communities facing threats against social and peasant leaders, emphasizing coordination with authorities and non-violent action.

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they were defenders of the paramilitaries