colombianherald.com

In a message that has set off national security alarms, Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, known as alias Iván Mordisco, proposed a military alliance with the National Liberation Army (ELN). The stated objective is to confront what he calls the “United States war machine,” arguing that the presence of foreign agencies in Colombian territory is the greatest threat to the country’s peace and autonomy.

The speech: Sovereignty and anti-imperialism

In the recording, Mordisco uses deeply nationalist rhetoric, ensuring that the guerrillas must overcome their historical differences to prioritize the fight against the “external enemy.” According to the leader, Washington’s intelligence and military support for the Colombian Military Forces represent a “flagrant violation of sovereignty,” thus justifying a joint offensive.

Similarities that generate controversy

Political analysts and opposition leaders have noted with concern that the language used by the guerrilla leader bears a notable similarity to the speech of President Gustavo Petro.

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Throughout his mandate, Petro has maintained a critical stance towards US foreign policy, especially on issues such as the fight against drugs and the military presence in the region. On several occasions, the president has questioned Colombia’s “subordinate sovereignty” and has used terms such as “imperialism” to refer to global power dynamics, a narrative line that Mordisco seems to have followed to try to gain political legitimacy.

Rain of criticism and reactions

The proposal to “join ranks” has not gone unnoticed and has generated widespread rejection in various sectors:

Opposition Sectors: Parliamentarians from the Democratic Center and other right-wing parties have described the video as proof that armed groups feel “empowered” by official rhetoric. They have demanded from the Government a forceful condemnation that marks a clear distance between diplomatic criticism and the justification of terrorism.

Security Experts: They warn that an alliance between the EMC and the ELN, although difficult to achieve due to their current territorial disputes (especially in the department of Arauca and Cauca), would represent an unprecedented threat to regional stability and to US officials in the country.

Government response: Although President Petro has maintained in the past that Mordisco is a “traqueto dressed as a revolutionary,” the coincidence in the verbal attacks towards US influence has left the Executive in an uncomfortable position vis-à-vis its international partners.

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