This delay generated criticism from various sectors for President Gustavo Petro, since not only the Armed Forces were waiting, but also members of the presidential cabinet.
News Colombia.
Through his X account, President Gustavo Petro explained on Sunday that the delay was due to a “lack of coordination of his escort service.”
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President Gustavo Petro justified his considerable delay to the July 20 military parade, a significant celebration marking 214 years of Colombia’s independence.
The parade, which was supposed to start at 9:00 in the morning, began around noon due to the lateness of the president, who arrived almost three hours late.
This incident sparked a wave of criticism from various sectors, as both the Armed Forces and members of the presidential cabinet and thousands of citizens of Bogotá were waiting for the start of the event.
The delay was seen as a lack of respect towards all those who had prepared and gathered to celebrate this important date.
Communiqué from X «Lack of coordination»
On his X account, President Petro explained on Sunday that his delay was due to a “lack of coordination of his escort service” and the need to verify urgent information coming from the United States embassy.
Petro said that, despite the setbacks, the central message of the commemoration was clearly conveyed: the integration of women into leadership positions within the police and military services, and the representation of an armed force that reflects the social and cultural diversity of the country.
Petro also stressed the importance of the peasant movement that demands land for food production, both for the Colombian population and for the rest of the world.
Despite criticism, the president defended the relevance of the issues discussed during the commemoration, highlighting the need to move towards a more inclusive and diverse society, with an armed force that is in tune with the people and that promotes gender equality and social justice.
Yesterday, July 20, the cry for freedom, the opposition failed in its social mobilization, the peasants came out to demand an agrarian reform; in the streets, the people came out to congratulate the young people of a people’s army where many women commanded the…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) July 21, 2024
The July 20 parade had never in the history of Colombia started without the President of the Republic. The event was scheduled for 9 am and started at 12 noon without the arrival of Gustavo Petro, who arrived about 10 minutes later.
More in https://t.co/yqNEZK7ZOB pic.twitter.com/bwTQBt95sz
— Caracol News (@NoticiasCaracol) July 20, 2024
President Gustavo Petro was booed for arriving late to the promotion ceremony for non-commissioned officers in Sibaté. Families with children have been waiting for him in the open since 9 am, he arrived after 1 pm, and it is not the elites who are celebrating the promotions today. They ask for respect, with good reason. pic.twitter.com/lJ9NwzkXTo
— Karla Arcila (@Karlaarcila) October 5, 2023
