The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petrodefended itself this Thursday against a wave of criticism from feminist sectors after making public its financial movements, which include a payment at a strip club in Portugal in 2023.
The leftist president released his bank statements this week as evidence against the accusations of drug trafficking and money laundering launched by his American counterpart. donald trumpwhich placed him and his family on a Treasury Department list with heavy financial sanctions.
In the documents there appears a payment of $50 at a business identified as “Menage Strip Club”an erotic bar in Lisbon, in May 2023 in the middle of an official tour of Europe.
The banking movement aroused rejection in sectors that accuse the president of making sexist speeches and having inappropriate behavior with women.
“How is it possible that we have a crisis of sexual exploitation in Colombia and at the same time a whoring president?” questioned activist Sara Jaramillo, of the Medellín Abolitionist Network, which advocates the elimination of sex work because it is considered exploitation.
“There are two things I have learned in life, not to sleep with a woman from whom nothing is born in my heart, and not to buy sex when I am still capable of seduction,” Petro wrote in a message on X that aroused even more criticism.
“Someday I will tell why I spent 40 euros in that place,” he said. “For now, I am interested in everyone who examines my accounts being able to see the type of arbitrariness committed against Colombia,” the president added, referring to the US sanctions.
Previously, the Colombian justice system has ordered the president to apologize for “stigmatizing” comments and for calling journalists who question him “mafia dolls” and “power journalists.”
Historical allies for decades, Washington and Bogotá are now involved in an escalation of diplomatic confrontations since Trump took power in January.
The American president calls Petro “drug trafficking leader” without providing evidence and withdrew Colombia’s certification as an allied country in the fight against drugs.
