Gustavo Petro, the presidential candidate, provoked a heated debate via social media between General Eduardo Enrique Zapateiro, the commander of Army as well as the person who is running for the first country post under the Historic Pact. Petro declared that a number of (generally) officers were "on the payroll of the Clan."

"While the soldiers die at the attack of the Gulf Clan; some of the generals on the payroll of the Clan are also dead," Gustavo Petro stated. They end up climbing to the generals is what corrupts the leadership" Gustavo Petro stated on social media.

General Zapateiro's response

This post prompted an Army commander's response. asked the presidential candidate six times for his position.

General Zapateiro declared that "no one is more wounded than those who don camouflage and their families and homeland themselves, but their supreme sacrifice for the country shouldn't be used in political storylines for campaigns."

Francia Marquez denied the existence of two properties in Cali

In another message, the top official discussed recent soldier deaths. "Since 2021, more than 500 military personnel have died and been wounded as they pursued their mission. https://nuso.org/articulo/caso-gustavo-petro-flagrant-system-error/ was not acknowledged and there were no announcements. It is odd that the pain and death of patriotic heroes is now used to generate other signs.

Gustavo Petro asked the army commander if he had information regarding links between the generals and groups that weren't covered by the law. If yes, he should make an official complaint.

https://www.larepublica.co/gustavo-petro . Please don't use your investiture (parliamentary non-changeability) to pretend that you're trying to politicize the deaths of our troops, but instead, fulfill your civic duty by submitting a credible claim to the


@FiscaliaCol refer to, "whoever it is" the person who is named, and the general you mentioned.

He added another sentence: "I remind senators that they belong to the group you label 'drug trafficking legislators'. As an individual, I suggest to not simply generalize. First and foremost, respect""

One of the most controversial statements by the top official is that they claimed that Colombians have witnessed the presidential candidate of the moment receiving cash "in the trash bag".

"I have never witnessed generals receive untruthful money on TV." General Zapateiro said that Colombians were witness to him taking money from an empty garbage bag.

In the final statement, the official said that it was the "oldest institution in the country which has members both men and women have unconditionally been a defender of democracy in this country for more than 200 years, even giving their lives for it, I ask for respect."