2024-09-03 01:07:16
President Gustavo Petro has once again found himself at the centre of controversy after making a comment during the inauguration of the Ombudsman, Iris Marín Ortiz, in which he referred to female journalists as “mafia dolls.”
This statement has sparked a wave of indignation, especially among public figures and those in the judicial field.
“The journalists in power, the ‘mafia’s puppets’, constructed the thesis of terrorism in protest and the criminalization of the genuine right to protest and to say enough. Now it is up to you, the defender, to defend them,” were Petro’s words that sparked rejection from multiple sectors, including former Attorney General Francisco Barbosa.
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In response to the president’s statements, Barbosa published a video on his social networks in which he strongly condemned Petro’s words.calling them “an act of discrimination and violence that devalues their work.” The former prosecutor highlighted the important role that women play in Colombian society, and noted that these types of comments promote an environment of hatred and disrespect towards professional journalists.
“It is a message of hate against all the women of the country who fervently fulfill the task of working every day to make Colombia better,” Barbosa said in his statement. He added that, during his time as attorney general, presidential advisor and university professor, he witnessed the positive impact that women have in Colombia, both in journalism and in other fundamental roles.
Hours later, Petro referred to his comment, publishing on his X account: “Journalists are not mafia puppets, but the mafia has had journalists on its payroll, or have we forgotten?”. He added that true journalism consists of “investigating the truth of power”, stressing the importance of a free and independent press.
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