Gustavo Petro was the target of criticism for mentioning the “revolutionary slogan” in a message of support for fans who said goodbye to Javier Acosta – credit Andrea Puentes/Presidency/Flickr and Javier Acosta/Instagram
The euthanasia of 36-year-old Javier Acosta from Bogotá, a Millonarios fan, generated a wave of comments of solidarity from citizens, which even involved great figures of Colombian soccer such as Radamel Falcao and Alberto Gamero, the team’s coach, who expressed their support. The case also motivated the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro, to speak out.
In a message from X, he referred to the emotional farewell given by several fans outside the San Ignacio Hospital. While they accompanied him, Javier Acosta appeared from a window of the hospital, raising and shaking a Millonarios shirt.
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In response to this, the president highlighted the support expressed by football fans, saying that they demonstrated a “revolutionary slogan.” “A moving gesture of solidarity from the young football fans. They remind us that all Colombians are children of the revolutionary slogan that waves around the world: “Freedom, equality and solidarity,” wrote the head of state on the social network.
President Gustavo Petro celebrated the gesture of Millonarios fans who said goodbye to Javier Acosta – credit @petrogustavo/X
His comment generated several questions and criticisms from Internet users who considered it as a way of involving ideology and politics. “Have a little respect”; “There is no need to bring politics or religion into the decision”; “Respect, Petro”; “Politicizing to the point of euthanasia”; “What a horrible comment,” indicated some X users.
However, there were also messages of support from citizens: “President Gustavo Petro sends a message of solidarity to Javier Acosta,” said one Internet user.
The BetPlay Dimayor League also shared a message of support after the citizen’s death, with the following message: “Courage is the passion to face death with the same intensity with which one lives life.”
Liga BetPlay Dimayor shared an image of solidarity with Javier Acosta – credit @LigaBetPlayD/X
The Millonarios fan decided to undergo euthanasia because he was suffering from osteomyelitis and blood cancer that would prevent him from having a quality of life and would have an impact on his daughter’s life. “It hurts me not to see my daughter grow up. I ask you to accompany me on the day of my funeral and the mass. Thank you for your friendship. I am leaving thanking you. From heaven I will pull the legs of all the Millonarios players to see if they win,” said the fan in a video.
His medically assisted death was recorded at 12:47 pm on August 30, 2024. Minutes before, he made a video call with who would be his girlfriend, according to some Internet users. It is a woman named Alejandra Layton, to whom he did a little merengue dance, at her request: “Last merenguito, wait for me, I’ll play it for you, which one do you want my love, wait for me, I’ll play it for you,” the woman suggested.
She then asked him to promise to come to her dreams to prepare a dish for her that she enjoys: breaded shrimp.
The man from Bogotá died at around 12:47 pm – credit @AlejandraLayton/Instagram
The events with Acosta caused concern among the authorities, since he claimed that he contracted a bacteria in a pool in Melgar, which was what worsened his health and led him to make the decision to undergo euthanasia. The Department of Health of Tolima reported that they have started investigations to inspect the pools.
“Melgar is a purely tourist municipality and this type of situation can have an impact. I believe that this type of information should be handled with more caution so as not to generate alarms in the population or in visitors,” said the Secretary of Health of Tolima, Ingrid Katherine Rengifo.
The official indicated that monitoring is also being carried out in other areas such as Honda, Mariquita and Carmen de Apicalá.
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