Petro rules out extraditing Venezuelan opponents as requested by chavismo

The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has suggested this Tuesday that his government will not endorse the extradition of Venezuelan opponents, advocating “the right of asylum” as a direct response to a request from Chavismo.

The ‘number two’ of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello, expressed on Monday his hope that the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries will also give rise to the extradition of “murderers” and “thieves.”

Petro has shared a news item about these statements on his social networks to add: “Colombia guarantees the right of asylum and refuge.” Neither Cabello nor the new Colombian president have clarified who they would be claiming or protecting, respectively.

Currently, some two million Venezuelans live in Colombia, the main destination country for migrants and refugees who have fled the political and social crisis that has engulfed Venezuela in recent years. The UN puts the total migratory exodus at about six million.

The coming to power of Petro, the first leftist president in the history of Colombia, has resulted for the moment in the cross-appointment of ambassadors with Venezuela and an apparent willingness to normalize bilateral relations.