Latin American Lawmakers Condemn Petro Over ‘Heil Hitler’ Post

Twenty-four lawmakers from 14 Latin American countries condemned Colombian President Gustavo Petro after he posted the Nazi slogan “Heil Hitler” on X in response to a newspaper column during Colombia’s presidential campaign.

The statement, promoted by the Coalition of Latin American Legislators Against Antisemitism and led by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, said the use of Nazi language is improper in democratic debate, especially when it comes from a head of state.

Petro posted the phrase Sunday in response to a column by Felipe Zuleta Lleras in El Espectador titled “Colombia Does Not Need More Rhetoric; It Needs Order, Authority and Economic Freedom.” The column supported right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella ahead of Colombia’s June 21 presidential runoff.

The lawmakers said “Heil Hitler” was the official salute of the Nazi regime and remains one of the most recognizable symbols of the ideology responsible for the murder of millions of people, including six million Jews during the Holocaust.

They warned that Petro’s comment could not be viewed as an isolated incident, citing his repeated use of references and allusions to Nazism when speaking about opponents, critics and media outlets.

“The use of references to Nazism must not become a rhetorical tool to discredit political or ideological positions,” the lawmakers said. “Democratic leaders have a responsibility to promote a respectful public debate that is conscious of the weight of words.”

CAM Executive Director of Latin American Affairs Shay Salamon said heads of state carry a special responsibility because their words influence public life.

“Their words do not merely express political positions — they also shape social climates and can legitimize hatred,” Salamon said. “In the case of President Gustavo Petro, as I have repeatedly warned, this is not an isolated rhetorical excess, but a sustained pattern that reflects a troubling record of antisemitic expressions and conduct.”

He added that “when a leader uses the authority of his office to stigmatize the Jewish people or trivialize their historic suffering, silence is no longer an option.”

Israel also condemned Petro’s post. The Israeli Foreign Ministry called it “a total loss of moral compass and an indelible stain on Colombia’s legacy.” Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said using Nazi slogans was “a disgraceful low from which there is no coming back,” and urged Petro to apologize before presiding over a UN Security Council debate.

The Anti-Defamation League also criticized the post, saying an elected head of state should not need to be told why posting a Nazi slogan is “monstrous and unacceptable.”

Petro did not apologize in the material reviewed. He later defended the post, saying it was meant to show that Zuleta’s article had moved from liberal language to supporting what he called fascist phrases such as “by reason or by force.” He said that if force is used without reason, “you are in full Nazism.”

Lawmakers from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay backed the statement, saying the region must oppose antisemitism, defend Holocaust memory and protect democratic debate.