“We had autism”: Petro’s brother clouds the debate about the Colombian president’s health

The relative’s statements arise in the midst of the opposition’s desire to apply a permanent physical or moral disability to the president.

A new statement from a relative of the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, clouded the political climate in the South American country, amid the opposition’s attempts to apply the permanent physical or moral disability to the president, due to his absence at several events.

Last Sunday, Juan Fernando Petro, brother of the president, offered an extensive interview to the program ‘Los Informantes’, broadcast by the local channel Caracol Television, in which he spoke about the alleged Asperger syndrome diagnosed during their adolescence.

“My dad took us to the psychologist and The psychologist said we had autism syndromeAsperger’s syndrome,” said Juan Fernando. “In Gustavo’s case, it is more intense than mine,” he added.

The majority of media quickly reported the president’s “suffering,” such as Semana magazine, which interviewed former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, who declared that she once found the president “lying down, lying on the ground” in “broad daylight.”

“I don’t know if they are depressive or addiction issues.. The only thing you do when you are in charge of a situation like this is observe behavior,” Betancourt told Semana, in a statement that was denied by the head of state.

The “connotation”

In the midst of the commotion, Juan Fernando Petro came out this Monday to clarify the issue. Interviewed on Blu Radio, the president’s relative criticized the “decontextualization” and “the connotation with which” what was stated in ‘Los Informantes’ is said.

“The president is not sick”, he emphasized, after detailing that the objective of the almost three-hour dialogue – summarized in 15 minutes – was to discuss his contribution in recent years to the peace process in Colombia. However, he complained: “Absolutely nothing came of my work in peace.”

When asked if the school psychologist who treated him also diagnosed his brother, he responded no, since he was not even present at the session.

In addition to this, he specified that the expert’s opinion was “without neurological examinations”simply told him that the now dignitary had “a similar behavior” and therefore should “have the same.”

Questioned about respect, he reiterated that “no tests” have been performed since then. “We haven’t done anything because we don’t need it,” she stressed.

Regarding Petro’s non-compliance in some events, he stated that “it has nothing to do with Asperger’s,” because this “it is not a diseaseis a characteristic of a person’s way of being, which goes with their temperament and character.”

Controversy

Petro’s brother announced that he will present a formal complaint to the program for the editing, which has been the most popular thing in the Latin American nation in recent hours.

In fact, on the social network .

Along these lines, the president’s brother was asked how a diagnosis of this type was possible in the 70s. “I have no idea (…) maybe I didn’t have that name at that time,” he responded.

For his part, journalist Felix de Bedout joined the issue and warned about the “degradation of public debate.”

“Asperger’s is not a ‘disease,’ it is a condition that affects the ability to socialize. Try to denigrate a person for political reasons using the term, is one more step in the degradation of public debate,” he noted in X.

What politicians say

The opposition parties, including those who introduced a petition to the Senate for Petro to be medically examined, have so far not commented on this.

The one who did speak was former president Andres Pastrana (1998-2002), urging that details be disseminated about the health status of the leader of the ruling Historical Pact.

“Since Petro states, through his brother, that Asperger’s syndrome is the explanation for his erratic behaviorit would be appropriate for you to include the corresponding certificate from your doctor in your resume,” wrote in X.

For her part, Senator Maria Jose Pizarro Rodriguez, of the Historical Pact, called to have “height in public debate” and asked the media to spread “truthful information.”

“Even if it is true that President Petro had Asperger’s, We are not talking about an illness or disabling condition.. “Notable people have had it,” he added, in a publication that mentions world figures with this syndrome, such as Elon Musk or Bill Gates.

Until now the Colombian president has not referred to this matter.