2024-09-11 09:22:29
In the eighth round of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, the Colombian national team received Argentina at the Roberto Meléndez Metropolitan Stadium in Barranquilla. However, before the ball rolled, A shout echoed loudly in the stands: “Out with Petro.”
The chorus, which has been repeated on several recent FIFA dates, was heard again on this occasion, turning the football match into a stage for political expression.Videos shared by attendees on social media show a considerable portion of fans clamoring for President Gustavo Petro to leave, just minutes before the match began.
Among the personalities who echoed the episode is opposition senator María Fernanda Cabal. The congresswoman, a well-known critic of the current government, shared one of the videos on her X account (formerly Twitter), accompanying it with a message that underlines the massive nature of the protest: “It is a country that is shouting at the Metropolitan Stadium in Barranquilla. #FueraPetro.”
You can read: 72% of Colombians trust Petro less after two years
The chant against the president, which has become a constant at some sporting events, reflects a growing polarization in the country. These demonstrations have generated intense debates, both on social networks and in the media, dividing Colombians between those who support the government and those who demand his resignation.
Faced with such expressions of discontent, President Gustavo Petro has not remained silent. In recent statements, the president linked the protests against him to sectors of the country’s elite. “The country’s rich are shouting at Petro. They are reproducing the same message they launched when they killed five thousand militants of the Patriotic Union,” Petro said, suggesting that those protesting are the same ones who have historically persecuted progressive leaders.
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