Gustavo Petro received a letter from Pedro Castillo in his own handwriting this Thursday. The former Peruvian president thanks him for his support and informs him that he has appointed an Argentine lawyer, Guido Leonardo Croxatto, to take charge of his case and internationalize it among the “brother” countries. Among those nations is Colombia. Petro has defended Castillo from the first day, imprisoned after announcing on television a self-coup that was an absolute failure.
The president of Colombia continues to consider Castillo legitimate president, so he does not know who he really is, Dina Boluarte. Croxatto has been received by Petro at the Casa de Nariño, the presidential residence. Castillo, during a conversation they had in his cell, asked him to take the letter to the Colombian president as soon as possible. The meeting lasted an hour and a half, not inconsiderable time on a president’s agenda. Petro wanted to know everything related to the political and judicial process in which Castillo is immersed, who is accused of rebellion, a crime that entails two decades in prison.
Castillo’s defense is going to request a precautionary measure before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the same institution that ruled in favor of Petro when he was dismissed as mayor of Bogotá. The president has been in great harmony with Croxatto, a disciple of Eugenio Raúl Zaffaroni, a prestigious Argentine judge who was one of the first to come out in favor of Petro in his lawsuit against the Colombian state. In addition, Croxatto will present an amparo before the constitutional court of Peru to determine the unconstitutionality of the procedure by which Castillo was vacated from office. Croxatto maintains that the message to the nation that Castillo read and for which he was removed was empty of content, did not pose any threat to the constitutional order, and did not have the support of the military.
Four months ago the then president of Peru, in a moment that will go down in history, dissolved Congress and decreed a state of emergency on television. Hours later, he was arrested and later jailed for what the authorities consider a coup attempt. The attempt was condemned by most countries, but a few, including Colombia and Mexico, have defended Castillo and consider his stay in prison undemocratic.
This is the letter addressed to Gustavo Petro:
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RECEIVE THE
Dear brother President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro
From this cell I greet you, the brother Colombian people, with all the strength and hope of my people.
Then let me tell you that the international strategy of my defense is going to be led by the Argentine lawyer Guido Leonardo Croxatto to whom I entrust this special task and make the corresponding coordination with the team and the brothers of the countries in this just cause.
A huge hug, my brother president, thank you very much for your support and solidarity.
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