Gabriel Boric and Gustavo Petro raise their voices against the coup in Brazil and ask for regional unity

The presidents of Chile, Gabriel Boric, and Colombia, Gustavo Petro, raised their voices on Monday against what they saw as a coup attempt in Brazil and they asked for regional “unity”. to strengthen democracies.

In a joint appearance in La Moneda (the seat of the Chilean government), both leaders confirmed their views intention to request an extraordinary meeting at the Organization of American States (OAS) after the crisis unleashed on Sunday by hordes of Bolsonarist radicals who invaded Parliament, the Presidency and the Supreme Court.

“There can be no nuances. These actions are unacceptable, as are complicit silences, and cannot be relativized or ignored. Our region must have a clear position on the issue,” Boric said.

Thousands of followers of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who do not recognize the result of the October 30 elections and are calling for military “intervention” to restore him to power, have invaded the headquarters of the three state powers and caused extensive damage to furniture and IT equipment.

The situation was already under control, after the arrest of 300 coup plotters on Sunday and another 1,200 this Monday who had taken refuge in the camp they had set up in front of the army headquarters after the elections.

“The democratic pact in the Americas is in danger,” said Petro, who began his first official visit to Chile on Monday.

The Colombian president, of the centre-left like his Chilean counterpart, assured that the far right “does not want democracy” and threatens it because it “takes away privileges” and “allows the diversity of our peoples to take over our countries”.

“As leftists, as progressives, but above all as democrats, regardless of political options, we have a duty to reflect on how to deepen and strengthen democracies in our region and in the world,” added Boric.

Both Boric and Petro spoke the day before on their social networks with strong messages in favor of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvawith whom they have great ideological affinities and whose investiture they witnessed on 1 January.

solid relationship

IS the third meeting between Boric and Petro since both took the lead of their different countries in March and August respectively which shows their closeness and willingness to work together.

“The more we are united, the better we will be as a region”, underlined the young Chilean president, who confirmed his presence at the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) which will be held in Buenos Aires in two weeks’ time.

Among the topics addressed by both leaders is the migration crisis triggered by the Venezuelan and Haitian exoduses, the “need” to reach a common regional position on climate change or the peace process in Colombia.

Petro ensured that a “satellite agreement” with Chile would allow Colombia “to have cadastral information on the possession of fertile lands” and “advance in peace” and “apply the first point between the state and the former FARC guerrilla” .

“Peace in Colombia is also peace in the region, a peace that we cannot stop building and for which Chile is also firmly committed”, underlined Boric.

Petro had also scheduled a meeting with the mayor of Santiago, the communist Iraci Hasler, and with the leaders of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

Source: EFE

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