In an unprecedented display of public dissent, Colombian football stadiums are becoming the unconventional stage for a crescendo of anti-government sentiment aimed at President Gustavo Petro. The dissonance is not confined to the ninety minutes of play; rather, it reverberates before kickoff, echoes at halftime, and crescendos as fans exit the stadiums. The chant “Fuera Petro” or “Out Petro” has become the rallying cry during matches in the national league and, more notably, the recent World Cup Qualifiers with the National Team.
A recent incident occurred during a match between Tolima and Cali at the Manuel Murillo Toro Stadium in Ibagué. Fans, expressing their discontent, rose from their seats in unison to vocalize their collective plea: “Fuera Petro!” Social media platforms quickly disseminated viral videos of this poignant moment, amplifying the public outcry.
This anti-Petro chorus initially gained prominence in the presence of the First Lady, Verónica Alcocer, and the President’s daughter, Antonella Petro, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla during the Colombia-Brazil match on November 16. Some critics contended that since the president was not present, the chant was directed at Antonella Petro. In response, President Petro took to social media, labeling the soccer fans as “cowards” in an attempt to deflect the mounting criticism.
The dissenting refrain of “Fuera Petro” continued during a match between Medellín and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium, a game considered a “classic” clash between two of the city’s rival teams. The Defensores del Chaco Stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, also witnessed Colombian fans expressing their disapproval during the match between the national teams of Paraguay and Colombia for the 2026 World Cup.
Remarkably, the chant has transcended sports arenas, making appearances at rock concerts and official military events where the President is in attendance. In Bogotá, sub-officers and reservists whistled at President Petro during a celebration of the traditional Affiliate Day on Saturday.
And recalling the social protests in November 2019 against ex-President Iván Duque’s reforms, then Senator Gustavo Petro mobilized protestors on the streets to the chant of “Duque chao”. The “Fuera Petro” movement has morphed into a powerful expression of opposition to the current government’s reforms. Local news sources suggest that President Petro is growing increasingly “desperate” with this chorus, and as the former newspaper publisher of La Prensa, Juan Carlos Pastrana, stated on “X”, “Fuera Petro” is Colombia’s “new national anthem.”
