“I would not withdraw any word from the speech that, as William Molina, I addressed to President Gustavo Petro. I have experienced firsthand the lack of interest of this government in advancing the national youth agendas. “I have received accusations and harassment on WhatsApp and social networks, even from some young people who, ironically, recognize me as a great leader,” Molina said.
“We cannot continue to be mere observers of the management of this government, which only seems to care about a certain sector of the youth. We have always been proactive, and it is fair to recognize that there have been ministers who have truly cared about certain issues. I thank the hundreds of people who have supported me with messages through different social networks. From day zero of these processes, I knew that it would not be easy, but we will continue with more encouragement than ever to work for Colombian youth,” he added.
The young man, 19 years old, a student in the third semester of Law at the Free University, assured that the government of President Gustavo Petro has remained “In a populist speech, the Government has not fulfilled us, the president has forgotten us”. At the same time, he asserted, the matter began, in his opinion, last January, when President Petro stood them up and it was a State official who appointed them as youth advisors.
Youth advisors sang the tabla to President Gustavo Petro, prevented him from leaving an event, asking him to commit to that population and requested that he “put the officials to work.” https://t.co/if1kX8q65f pic.twitter.com/4JFsdaHI34
— Semana Magazine (@RevistaSemana) May 15, 2024
According to Molina, after his words he has received “attacks from his own colleagues, young people who fear the truth because they will end up threatened, harassed. President Petro was going to leave the session, he was going to leave the session and I told him that we really have to work.”
Watch the full interview in SEMANA with William Molina:
Molina ended by pointing out that he considers the possibility of a national constituent assembly in Colombia “disastrous.” Likewise, he said that a “referendum could possibly be effective,” while he acknowledged that oil exploration and exploitation helps Colombia in economic terms, although the current government questions it.
“Health reform is important, but not as the Government proposes it,” added the young man, who said that he admires Aurora Vergara, Minister of Education, and that he would change sides if he saw Gareth Sella, deputy minister of youth, coming. Finally, he indicated, he will continue studying with the goal of being, at some point, a magistrate.
President Gustavo Petro told the young man that he was wrong in his criticism, while pointing out that his speech with young people is not populist.
