The Petro State - Colombia's first leftist leader wants to end oil

Last year, Colombian president Gustavo Petro watched in dismay as a political and economic crisis unfolded on the other side of his country’s eastern border. Global powers had imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s oil exports after the country’s autocratic leader, Nicolás Maduro, allegedly A his re-election. As hyperinflation fueled turmoil, millions of refugees poured into Colombia to escape.

- By Justin Worland - Photography by Diego Cuevas

Last year, colombian president Gustavo Petro watched in dismay as a political and economic crisis unfolded on the other side of his country’s eastern border. Global powers had imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s oil exports after the country’s autocratic leader, Nicolás Maduro, allegedly A his re-election. As hyperinflation fueled turmoil, millions of refugees poured into Colombia to escape.

In the heat of the moment, Petro decided to talk to Maduro about an idea: the leftist strongman should propose a climate pact with the country’s opposition leaders to wean Venezuela off oil. That could boost the economy by ending its dependence on oil exports, Petro said, and it could help mend the country’s broken politics. Most of all, it would save the world from the climate change that would result from Venezuela fully exploiting its oil. The response: crickets. “I have mentioned it to Maduro, I have mentioned it to the opposition when I can talk to them,” a chagrined Petro told me in August. “But I think I am speaking another language when I talk to them.”

When it comes to climate change, Petro dreams big, even if it scares many in Colombia and threatens the country’s short-term economic interests. The former guerrilla turned climate crusader took office as President in 2022 promising to phase out fossil fuels, no small project for a nation where more than 50% of exports come from oil and coal. In office, he has stopped approval of new drilling and constrained the state-owned oil company even when deals promised big returns. Abroad, he has pushed other leaders to create their own phaseout plans. “I want to take the step to end coal- and gasbased energy,” he told me.