Outgoing president of Colombia Gustavo Petro posted two words to show his contempt for the right-wing candidate for president, Abelardo de la Espriella, who will be running in the country’s June 21 election.

The two words were “Heil Hitler,” posted along with a local outlet’s op-ed in support of Espriella, who is promoting such Israel-friendly initiatives as restoring diplomatic ties with Israel and opening an embassy in the Jewish state. The left-wing president had actively cut ties with Israel in 2024.

Combat Antisemitism Movement’s Coalition of Latin American Legislators Against Antisemitism collected the signatures of 24 lawmakers from 14 Latin American countries appended to a statement denouncing Petro’s antisemitic post.

“The use of references to Nazism must not become a rhetorical tool to discredit political or ideological positions. Democratic leaders have a responsibility to promote a respectful public debate that is conscious of the weight of words,” the statement said, warning that “Heil Hitler” is one of the most popular symbols of Nazi ideology among Jew haters.

Espriella will run against Iván Cepeda, who has vowed to continue Petro’s anti-Israel policies. Petro lost the national election in May, when the other two candidates garnered 40 percent of the vote.

Petro has insisted that he is not an antisemite but that his policies against Israel reflect only his opposition to the Israeli government’s military actions and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. With his “Heil Hitler” post, he will have a harder time making that argument.