Bogotá: Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s daughter, Sofía Petro, attended her graduation ceremony holding a Palestinian flag, drawing attention to her public show of solidarity. Throughout the event, Sofía kept the flag raised as she received her degree.
The ceremony was held at an Israeli club in Bogotá, the Colombian capital, where students of the Lycée Français school were awarded their diplomas. Outgoing President Gustavo Petro, who is set to leave office on August 7, 2026, later shared an emotional note about the event on X, reflecting both as a father and as the country’s leader.
He wrote that the graduation of students from the Lycée Français took place at the Israeli club and that he was present, though unable to stay for the entire ceremony due to a stomach-related illness. Even so, he said, like all parents, he found himself thinking about many things during the event.
However, Petro noted that he was not just a father but also still the president of Colombia. He said he felt as though he were “standing before a deep ravine with a jaguar poised to leap towards its target”, describing that target as another opportunity for both Colombia and his daughter.
He added that, as a libertarian-minded person and soul, he had helped shape and guide his daughter, who is now taking control of her own life and moving forward. “Perhaps the task of a man,” he reflected, “is to enable and encourage women to become ever more free.”