Beyond the reasons given by the United Kingdom’s diplomatic corps to justify the willingness to once again demand visas for Colombians, this measure is hostile, unfriendly and arrogant.
Germán Ayala Osorio
A few Colombians lying on their asylum applications should not have motivated this hostile decision, particularly when there is no threat to the country’s security because of the mass arrival of nationals to their territory.
Their fellow citizens who committed fraud to obtain this protective benefit should be prosecuted according to the local laws or, on the contrary, deported to Colombia. It must be recognised that internally there is social and political pressure on the UK government to stop the arrival of Latin American migrants.
When the new measures became known, agents of the Colombian right-wing immediately blamed the Petro government and its diplomatic team, for what they considered to be a “step backwards typical of a left-wing government.”
Political actors of Uribismo (followers of former President Alvaro Uribe) such as Paloma Valencia and Vicky Dávila, among others, took advantage to taunt the current administration.
They speak of a “step backwards” and avoid describing the decision as exaggerated, conceited or annoying because Valencia and Dávila are outstanding defenders of the historic relations of domination between the opulent North and the poor South that, despite everything, provides them with resources and products that benefit the rich lives of Europeans and Americans.
President Petro, in response to the United Kingdom’s decision, said on his X account that “under the principle of reciprocity, this country will also demand visas” from Irish, English, Scottish and Welsh citizens who live in the territory that encompasses four nationalities. President Petro’s almost immediate response is laden with dignity and nationalism, issues where the country seems unused to having such demands from heads of state or even having it mentioned because we naturalise the undervaluation of identity and the stigmatisation processes that accompany the visa requirements for Colombians by the United Kingdom and the United States, to name just two destinations.
The Foreign Ministry of the current progressive government formally requested the authorities of the latter country to study the possibility of withdrawing visas for Colombians.
The corporate media must already be looking for former foreign ministers and experts in diplomacy to “analyse” the president’s reaction.
As a minimum, they will say that it would have been better if the announcement had not been made by President Petro on his X account, but through the established diplomatic channels. Also, that it would have been preferable if such a reaction had been the result of a wider discussion within the Foreign Ministry.
In any case, let’s hope that Petro’s announcement is not just a boast and that the principle of reciprocity is effectively applied, and will extend to Americans and other nationalities, in particular to foreign men who come with plans for “sexual tourism”, which is nothing other than raping Colombian girls and teens. In the same way as immigration authorities in these and other countries look with suspicion and misgivings at the identities and profiles of Colombians who wish to enter, Colombian immigration agents must reciprocate with the same suspicions to the whoring Americans and those of other nationalities who love to visit Medellín and Cartagena to rape minors.
There may be Colombians who behave badly outside of their country, who violate the rules of the countries they visit and who also participate in illegal activities, but this cannot justify mistreatment at airports and other immigration checkpoints.
The demanding requirement for visas is an arrogant, unfriendly and rude measure adopted by countries in an opulent North that presume to have better civilising and socialising processes anchored to this idea entertained by the “first world,” when today and throughout history it has been demonstrated that in all latitudes there are lazy people, thieves, rapists, murderers, drug addicts and corrupt politicians.
*German Ayala Osorio: Colombian writer, journalist, with a Ph D in Sustainable Regions, political scientist and professor, author of the blog La Otra Tribuna.
(Translated by Donna Davison – Email: donna_davison@hotmail.com) – Photos: Pixabay
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