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Who is Gustavo Petro? Trump questions Biden's socialist ties, slams him as a 'puppet of Castro-Chavistas'

'I’m not a citizen of the United States, but if I could vote in the United States, in the interest of my Latin American people, I would vote for Biden, without a doubt,' Petro said

President Donald Trump once again slammed his rival and Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, by calling him a "puppet" and his supporter, Gustavo Petro, a "loser" on Saturday, October 10. Trump also slammed Bernie Sanders and US representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Karen Bass in a post on Twitter.

"Joe Biden is a PUPPET of CASTRO-CHAVISTAS like Crazy Bernie, AOC and Castro-lover Karen Bass. Biden is supported by socialist Gustavo Petro, a major LOSER and former M-19 guerrilla leader. Biden is weak on socialism and will betray Colombia. I stand with you!" Trump tweeted.

As soon as the tweet came to light, people started reacting to it. One user wrote, "Do you honestly think Americans believe this crap? Joe Biden is not a socialist. Joe Biden is a puppet to no one. You don’t serve in the Senate for 47 years by being a puppet. He’s been more of a Republican than you ever were," and "Donald Trump so desperate that it’s kinda sad."

Some pointed out that Trump loves "socialism" only when it suits him and wrote, "What absolute nonsense. Who just spent time in a government-funded hospital and received free medical treatment? Trump! And who made a fake promise to provide experimental treatments for COVID19 free for everyone? Trump! Trump loves 'socialism' when it suits him." While another commented, "Joe Biden is a moderate Democrat who is supported by folks across the political spectrum, including Independents and Republicans. There’s only one candidate who is EXTREME and his name is Donald Trump. #VoteBiden."

Another user asked, "Mr Trump, sensible Americans have known Joe Biden for a long time and they know he is a moderate Democrat -- and that it's a preposterous lie for you to say Biden is a puppet of Socialists and Communists. Why do you lie so much about Joe Biden?"

Who is Gustavo Petro?

Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego also known as Gustavo Petro, is a Colombian politician, economist, ex-guerrilla member and presidential candidate. Petro has previously served as the mayor of Bogota and was a member of revolutionary group M-19 during the 1980s. The group later evolved into, Alianza Democrática M-19, a political party in which Petro participated as a member of the National Congress in the 1990s.

He has served as a senator of the Alterative Democratic Pole Party, followed by the 2006 elections, where he received the second-highest vote in the country. In 2009, he resigned from his position and aspired to become the President of Columbia in the 2010 Colombian presidential election, finishing fourth in the race. On October 30, 2011, he got elected as the Mayor of Bogota in the local elections. On May 27, 2018, he came second in the first round of the presidential election with over 25% of the vote in his favor and lost in the run-off election on June 17.

In an August interview with CNN, host Juan Carlos Lopez asked Petro, “Did you endorse Joe Biden as a candidate for President of the United States?” Petro replied, “Well, if I could vote, which I cannot. I’m not a citizen of the United States, but if I could vote in the United States, in the interest of my Latin American people, I would vote for Biden, without a doubt.”