Gustavo Petro uncovers himself to explain his feminism and the role of women in Human Colombia

This Sunday, the senator Gustavo Petro, published a column in response to the sociologist, Sara tufano, after questioning some of her decisions regarding feminism, her relationship with Ángela María Robledo and her support for Hollman Morris in his candidacy for Mayor of Bogotá at the last polls.

The columnist expressed her disappointment at the news that Angela Robledo considered that there was no longer a space for her in Human Colombia, although she reiterated her support for the representative’s decision.

“She doesn’t have to stay in a place where she doesn’t feel comfortable,” Tufano added.

The former presidential candidate for Human Colombia, admitted that “It is not easy to write about the feelings of another person without invading, in a certain way, a space that we do not know perfectly”, claiming the freedom and autonomy of Robledo.

“I undoubtedly believe that a person should exercise their political right where they feel comfortable”, added.

In his reply, Petro assured that his movement “He contributed to the restoration of his seat of Human Colombia in the Congress of the Republic” to Ángela Robledo, who was his vice-presidential formula in the 2018 presidential elections.

It should be remembered that Robledo was stripped of her seat in the House of Representatives considering that he had incurred double membership, and just until last June, did he return to the Congress of the Republic to take his place.

In the letter, the El Tiempo columnist questioned Petro about the election of Morris as representative of Colombia Humana in the last elections for the Mayor of Bogotá, assuring that “It was politically unfeasible”, in addition to, the absence of a democratic process for their election.

In addition, it is important to keep in mind that in the 2019 electoral contest, Robledo, along with other women, strongly criticized Petro for endorsing Morris’s candidacy after the complaints that exist against him for alleged intra-family violence.

Admitting that Human Colombia must still “evolve and consolidate” for democratic and open decision-making, the senator stated that “I proposed that Angela María be Colombia Humana’s candidate for Mayor of Bogotá and after her rejection for personal reasons, which I respect, I suggested that she head the list to the Council, or take the lead as leader, with the purpose of promoting the political process in Bogotá. For multiple reasons, none of those options was possible ”.

In response to Morris’s election, Petro also added that “at that point, practically a week before enrollment, There was only one candidate who wanted to promote the Human Colombia program for the city and therefore, in an agreement with the coalition parties, with the candidates on the list to the Council, who otherwise went through a selection process, with criteria established in a district assembly, the candidacy to Mayor’s office”.

Likewise, the opposition leader expressed his disagreement with his link to machismo that Trufano addresses after Angela’s decisions and her departure from Human Colombia. The senator acknowledged that despite the fact that the left comes from an anti-feminist attitude, his party’s project is to empower women.

“With an anti-feminist attitude on my part, anchored in the macho tradition of leftist groups. Of course, we have had a sexist left that has been reflected in the conceptions of unions, popular organizations, political parties, guerrillas. But this is not the case in Colombia Humana. Although there is much work to be done there, this process of empowering women is also an unfinished process “, said Gustavo Petro.

Petro, also added that “must conduct an in-depth debate on its ideological inscription in the feminist struggle, which due to the characteristics of our project, I propose should be part of the popular struggle and social equity. It is an open invitation for the movement and those who are close to it, to face this debate ”.

After the senator’s statements, Angelá María Robledo’s response was immediate.

The representative to the Chamber referred to the column published by the senator of Colombia Humana, in which he expressed, among others, the support for Robledo to regain his seat.

Immediately, Angela, denied support for her situation in congress saying that “That litigation for 15 months before the Council of State was brought forward by me with Jorge Iván Palacio and Yefferson Dueñas, my lawyers (…) it is not true that in Human Colombia they supported me to regain the seat.”

The congresswoman also pointed out having been mistreated by the party after supporting Morris in the elections and leaving for Claudia López, current mayor of Bogotá.

Likewise, Robledo agreed that a debate should be raised in the party headed by Gustavo Petro on feminism.