A wave of criticism and defense is unleashed after a meeting in Córdoba shook the political board – credit Mauricio Dueñas Castañeda / EFE
In an event that has generated controversy in Colombia, the former president of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), Salvatore Mancuso, was received with cheers during a meeting with President Gustavo Petro in Montería, Córdoba.
This meeting, which some consider historic and others a source of shame, took place on October 4, 2024.
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As mentioned above, that meeting was controversial, because after the warm greeting, the political sphere was upset. For example, Senator Paloma Valencia wrote in her official X account that “What happened with Mancuso is a shame; “This country cannot continue to be complacent with the violent.”
This was the opinion of Paloma Valencia – credit screenshot /
For her part, Senator María Fernanda Cabal shared a video of President Gustavo Petro with the message: “Petro’s short or selective memory. “He who made politics talking about paramilitarism now defends them.”
During the event where Mancuso and the president were together, Petro said that “that peace process ended, in my opinion, badly. They extradited you: it was not written in the peace agreement. That is to say, those who applauded you considering you heroes—the senators, the representatives to the chambers, the great owners of the land in Colombia, the great businessmen of the country, the cocoas and certain media—applauded you as heroes, as saviors, because you were capable of demonstrating that, through blood, they could eradicate rebellion. Rebellion of the people, more than of the guerrillas. Those same people who applauded them put them on a plane, chained and handcuffed, and took them to a foreign court.”
Even the journalist César Augusto Londoño said that “A government that turns criminals, murderers who have left thousands of victims into heroes, is confusing the path and getting the message wrong. and what is the fun of returning what was stolen at gunpoint.”
This was the opinion of María Fernanda Cabal – credit screenshot /
On the other hand, politicians and opinion leaders also highlighted the short memory in the country, and mentioned the historical period of Colombia, where the right-wing and extreme right sector of the country “liked Mancuso.”
The senator of the republic for the Comunes Party, Sandra Ramírez, responded to Paloma Valencia: “Senator. Don’t forget the history of Colombia. Year 2004 Congress of the Republic. Mancuso was applauded by Congressmen. Years later, the parapolitics scandal would be uncovered,” also sharing photos of Mancuso speaking in the Congress of the Republic that same year.
Congresswoman María Fernanda Carrascal also joined this line of debate. “I do remember when they liked Mancuso,” he said.
This was the opinion of Sandra Ramírez – credit screenshot /
The event was presented by the government as a symbol of reconciliation between victims and perpetrators, in an attempt to advance the peace process. Mancuso, who served a sentence of more than 18 years in prisons in Colombia and the United States, has been designated as peace manager in negotiations with former members of the AUC, with the aim of clarifying the destination of the assets delivered to the State, according to Infobae.
However, Mancuso’s presence and his warm reception by some attendees unleashed a wave of criticism on social networks and the indignation of political figures such as representative Katherine Miranda. The phrase “We love you, monkey,” which resonated among the attendees, evoked the times when Mancuso exercised his power in Córdoba and other departments of the country.
The hug between Petro and Mancuso, which occurred 20 years after the two crossed paths in the Congress of the Republic, has been interpreted in various ways. On that occasion, Mancuso, then leader of a criminal organization, was applauded after a speech in the legislature, an event that continues to be remembered for its controversy.
Gustavo Petro recalled his last interaction with Salvatore Mancuso, highlighting the ovation that the former paramilitary received in Congress – credit Andrea Puentes/Presidency – Colprensa
The meeting in Montería not only sought to advance the peace process, but also to address pending issues related to the assets delivered to the State by the AUC. This aspect has been one of the points of discussion in the negotiations, since it seeks to clarify the destination of said assets, according to the parties involved.
The figure of Mancuso remains divisive in Colombia, and his participation in the peace process has generated both expectations and criticism. While some see in him an opportunity to advance reconciliation, others consider that his role in the armed conflict should not be forgotten.
