Gustavo Petro visits Mexico and files ICC complaint against successor

Former Colombian President Gustavo Petro has arrived in Mexico for his first international trip since leaving office on August 7. Following authorization from the Colombian Senate, Petro is conducting an academic agenda, including a keynote lecture at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) regarding the political economy of the climate crisis and the impact of robotization on society.

During his visit, Petro met with Paco Ignacio Taibo II of the Fondo de Cultura Económica to arrange the publication of his book, ‘Economía política de la crisis climática’. He also held a meeting in Mexico City with former Ecuadorian presidential candidate Andrés Arauz to discuss the integration of Andean and Caribbean progressivism, while criticizing United States geopolitical interests in Latin America.

Separately, Petro announced that he has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against his successor, Abelardo de la Espriella, alleging political persecution. Petro characterized these actions as crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute. This legal move coincides with Petro's condemnation of the recent killings of social leaders James Flor and María Ovidia Palechor in the Cauca department, which he attributed to “new paramilitarism.”