Petro's reforms echo Cuban Revolution's fatal mistakes, says former Colombian president

Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2010 - 2018), criticized newly elected Gustavo Petro's decisions to socialize health care and suspend new hydrocarbon contracts, comparing the reforms with Cuba and Venezuela.

"Colombia cannot depend on the Venezuelan energy system," former Uribe said in a recent speech at the Cundinamarca based offices of his political party, the Democratic Centre.

The former president's words come after the Petro said last Friday the country would import gas from Venezuela and suspending new hydrocarbon exploration contracts as part of a new energy transition.

He talked about how Petro's recent moves reminded him of some of the early decisions Fidel Castro made after he came to power and turned to communist countries as trading partners, making the island dependent on the Soviet Union and others. 

"Colombia cannot depend on natural gas from Venezuela, dear citizens," he said.

Many Colombians have expressed concern that Petro's planned switch from fossil fuels to renewables will jeopardize the country's prosperity and economic growth.

Although Colombia wants to move away from fossil fuels like coal and oil, it also remains dependent on traditional energy sources.

Since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the country has become a major supplier of coal to Germany: in 2022, imports doubled to over 4.2 million tons compared to previous years.

The former Colombian president referred to the social reforms that Petro intends to promote, such as the health system, whose purpose will be to transform the current mixed health model (public-private) into one with greater state intervention.

"In a system in which everything is managed by the State, who can complain? History has shown, as in Cuba, where everything is managed by the state, citizens lose the ability to complain because they fear the government," he said.

Petro's vice president, Francia Márquez, acknowledged on Monday the president's intentions to convert the Colombian health system into a state-controlled model, like the impoverished Cuban health system.

The private health system is currently ranked among the best in the region.