Gustavo Petro: Colombia’s President and Former Rebel Fighter

In 2007, Gustavo Petro, a Colombian senator and former M-19 rebel, made a notable request while in Washington, D.C., highlighting the dangers he faced in Colombia due to his activism against paramilitary ties to politicians. Elected in 2022 as Colombia’s first left-wing president, he has remained consistent in advocating for peace, land reform, and environmental issues. Influenced by Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” Petro’s upbringing in a land-concentrated society shaped his political views and commitment to addressing historical injustices.