New Delhi: On Friday, Shashi Tharoor of the Congress stated that Colombia has changed its previous position regarding the India-Pakistan conflict – a stance that had previously faced criticism for extending condolences to “Pakistanis” following the Indian airstrikes. Tharoor, who is at the helm of an all-party delegation visiting various countries to highlight Pakistan’s involvement in terrorism as part of Operation Sindoor, further mentioned that Colombia is set to issue a statement providing “strong” support for India’s stance.
“We met with the foreign ministry – the senior vice minister welcomed us. We received some positive news: They have retracted their earlier statement that had disappointed us and will now release a statement of robust support for our position and comprehension of our stance. Ultimately, here we stand before this magnificent bust of Mahatma Gandhi on the grounds of the main university,” Tharoor remarked, referring to the delegation’s visit to Tadeo Lozano University in Bogota, where they honored Mahatma Gandhi with floral tributes.
Tharoor had earlier conveyed his “disappointment” regarding Colombia’s response to India’s Operation Sindoor, which involved military strikes aimed at terrorist camps in Pakistan. He noted that Colombia had shown sympathy for Pakistani casualties instead of the victims of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities on April 22.
“We were somewhat disheartened by the Colombian government’s reaction, which seemingly expressed sincere condolences for the loss of lives in Pakistan following the Indian strikes, rather than extending sympathy to the victims of terrorism,” Tharoor had previously stated.
Tharoor is presently at the helm of a multi-party delegation traversing the Americas, part of India’s diplomatic initiative to assert its zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. Following visits to Panama and Guyana, the team arrived in Colombia on Thursday. Their upcoming destinations include Brazil and the United States.
Expressing appreciation for Colombia’s updated stance, Tharoor informed ANI, “The Vice Minister very graciously mentioned that they have retracted the statement we had raised concerns about and that they fully comprehend our position on the issue, which we truly value.”
India’s diplomatic efforts lead to Colombia altering its position.
Former Indian Ambassador to the United States and BJP leader Taranjit Singh Sandhu stated that the Colombian government modified its previous stance after receiving a comprehensive briefing from the Indian delegation.
“This morning, we engaged in an in-depth discussion with the acting Foreign Minister, and our leader along with the entire team articulated specific points to them, clarifying the timeline which they may have overlooked to some degree. The outcome was that they are retracting one of the other statements that had been issued and have assured us, quite explicitly, regarding terrorism and the related issue. The significance of Colombia, among other factors, is that it will soon be a member of the Security Council,” Sandhu conveyed to ANI.
Following the Indian delegation’s meeting with Colombia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio in Bogota, Sandhu remarked to ANI, “We are very optimistic about the clarification we received today and the comprehensive information we now possess concerning the actual situation, the conflict, and the events in Kashmir, which will enable us to continue the dialogue…”
BJP MP Shashank Mani emphasized Colombia’s history with terrorism and recognized that the nation now shares India’s viewpoint.
“It is significant that terrorism has impacted Colombia as well. Nevertheless, after enduring a prolonged struggle, Colombia has emerged as a peaceful nation. We have come
