“The war on drugs strengthens the mafias and weakens the States”, thus began Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia, his speech about one of the most important issues for the country and that generates controversy.
The president asserted that it is time for a new International Convention that accepts that the war on drugs has failed, since for now it has left one million Latin Americans murdered during these 40 years, and that it leaves 70,000 North Americans dead from overdoses each year.
“The war on drugs strengthened the mafias and weakened the States. The war on drugs led states to commit crimes and evaporate the horizon of democracy. Are we going to expect another million Latin Americans to be murdered and for overdoses to rise to 200,000 in the United States each year? Or rather, we change the failure for a success that allows Colombia and Latin America to live in peace!, she stressed.
He also spoke of peace. He said that for peace to be possible it is necessary to end once and for all six decades of violence and armed conflict.
In addition, he assured that his government will comply with the Havana Peace Agreement, will strictly follow the recommendations of the Truth Commission report and will work tirelessly to bring peace and tranquility to every corner of Colombia, so that, according to him May this be remembered as the government of life, of peace.
Petro asserted in his speech that peace is possible if “we unleash social dialogue in all the regions of Colombia, to meet in the midst of differences, to express ourselves and be heard, to seek through reason, the common paths of coexistence”.
For this reason, he clarified that it is society as a whole that must dialogue on how not to kill each other and how to progress.
He specified that in the binding regional dialogues he summons all unarmed people to find the paths of the territory that allow coexistence.
“It doesn’t matter what conflicts there are. It is precisely about evidencing them through the word, of trying their solutions through reason. It is more democracy, more participation that I propose to end the violence”, he noted.
Given this, he said that he calls on the armed forces to lay down their arms in the shadows of the past and to accept legal benefits in exchange for peace, in exchange for the definitive non-repetition of violence and to work as owners of a prosperous but legal economy that put an end to the backwardness of the regions.
“For peace to be possible in Colombia, we need to dialogue, dialogue a lot, understand each other, seek common paths, produce changes,” he added.
He argued that peace is possible if, for example, the policy against drugs is changed, since it is seen as a war for a policy of strong consumption prevention in developed societies.
Petro indicated that 10% of the Colombian population has 70% of the wealth, which, of course, does not contribute to peace and is nonsense and amorality. “Let us not naturalize inequality and poverty. Let’s not look the other way, let’s not be accomplices. With will, redistribution policies and a justice program we are going to make Colombia more egalitarian and with more opportunities for everyone”, he remarked.
At the same time, he clarified that equality is possible if it is capable of creating wealth for all, and if it is capable of distributing it more fairly. Therefore, he proposes an economy based on production, work and knowledge. “And that is why we propose a tax reform that generates justice. Taking a part of the wealth of the people who have the most and earn the most, to open the doors of education to all children and youth, should not be seen as a punishment or a sacrifice.
According to the president, it is simply the solidarity payment that someone lucky makes to a society that allows and guarantees their fortune.
“If we are able to bring part of the wealth that is created to undernourished boys and girls through something as simple as paying legal taxes, we will be fairer and more at peace. It is not just a matter of charity, it is a matter of human solidarity. Solidarity is what has allowed peoples to survive and achieve the greatest achievements of culture and civilization.
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