1985 saw one of the most traumatic days in Colombia's history -- it was even televised here in the states -- something apocalyptic in the Colombian capital of Bogota -- Marxist narcoterrorist guerrillas known as M-19, aligned with Pablo Escobar, surrounded the Supreme Court building, taking dozens of hostages, including many of the justices, and then set it on fire, burning it all down, killing 98 people, including many justices. The authorities were inept and ultimately powerless to stop it.
It was that incident that ushered in Colombia's bad years, becoming synonymous with cocaine and Pablo Escobar's drug lords, a pariah state. Airplanes were shot out of the sky. Art museums were blown up. Car bombs were a risk of walking down the street. On my first trip to South America -- Ecuador, around 2000, I recall an airline stopover in Bogota where passengers were not allowed off the plane, owing to the risk of drug trafficking. The city looked so sooty, sad, and bleak.
I returned a few years later and it was very different -- sparkling clean and lively and dynamic. But that incident at the courthouse was a turning point. Both narcoguerrillas and Escobar detested rule of law, and records kept of their activities, so they had motive to burn the Supreme Court down. Escobar focused his war on judges, declaring they could take "plata o plomo" from his drug lords, meaning 'silver or lead.' Escobar was finally wiped out with great difficulty in 1994. The Marxist narcoguerrillas remained, though, one group replacing another.
Which brings us to Gustavo Petro, sitting president of Colombia, a former M-19 guerrilla, who drew Hugo Chavez's oozing admiration, and political momentum as a result. He eventually got elected president when memory of the guerrilla past faded. He never actually renounced his guerrilla past.
So as the 40th annivesary of the Supreme Court trauma, he delivered his response to a question about what exactly he had to say about that awful event. His response is here:
Estas fueron mis palabras a los magistrados de la Corte suprema de Justicia. Quisieron que hablara de la toma del palacio, pero quise comenzar por el genocidio de gaza que son 700 Palacios de Justicia.https://t.co/JxdKY0FjFv
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) August 30, 2025
Google Translate:
These were my words to the magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice. They wanted me to speak about the taking of the palace, but I wanted to begin with the genocide in Gaza, which are 700 Palaces of Justice.
He brings up Gaza, a clear attack on Israel.
En ???????? los magistrados son quemados vivos por un grupo terrorista del m19???????? 98 personas quemadas por usted año 1985???????????? pic.twitter.com/wmhB6QdPBm
— Mara????✈️ (@MaraECrdenas1) August 30, 2025
Is there anything more disgusting than that? For all his customary garrulousness, he obviously has nothing to say for himself and his despicable past. A good politician may be able to wing such a matter, but he just changes the topic, going after the country of the Jewish people who have been major victims of terror attacks.
Sound like he's changed any from his guerrilla days?
Not surprisingly, the public realizes it made a mistake with this bounder. A recent poll shows him sporting a 72% public disapproval rate.
????????????| ÚLTIMA HORA: La desaprobación del comunista y exguerrillero Gustavo Petro supera el 72% según análisis de “IAelectoral” basado en análisis de redes sociales y opinión pública en internet. Petro es el PEOR PRESIDENTE DE COLOMBIA. pic.twitter.com/EW52FfKOZ5
— Eduardo Menoni (@eduardomenoni) August 29, 2025
Elections will be held next year. It will be someone else as Petro is term-limited out, But that guy can't leave soon enough. What a repulsive creature.
Image: X screen shot