Colombia Retracts Statement on Pakistan Deaths After Shashi Tharoor’s Strong Objection

Colombia has officially retracted its statement expressing condolences over deaths in Pakistan during India’s Operation Sindoor, following strong objections raised by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor during his ongoing diplomatic visit to the South American nation on Friday.

The veteran parliamentarian, who is leading a multi-party delegation to five countries, confronted Colombian officials over their earlier statement, emphasizing there is “no moral equivalence between terrorists and those defending their nation.”

Speaking alongside Colombia’s Vice Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, Tharoor confirmed the withdrawal during a joint press conference. “The Vice Minister very graciously mentioned that they have withdrawn the statement that we had expressed concern about, and that they fully understand our position on the matter which we really value,” he told reporters.

Villavicencio acknowledged Colombia’s revised understanding of the situation. “We are very confident that with the explanation that we received today and the detailed information that we now have regarding the real situation, the conflict, and what happened in Kashmir, we can also continue the dialogue and being aware of what is happening,” she stated.

Following Colombia’s retraction, Tharoor reiterated his position on the fundamental difference between terrorists and civilians. “No equivalence possible between terrorists on the one hand and innocent civilians on the other,” he emphasized to the media.

The Congress leader highlighted that India’s disappointment with Colombia’s original statement stemmed from the fact that this crucial distinction was “overlooked” in their initial response.

Tharoor expressed satisfaction with the outcome, praising Colombia’s decision to withdraw the controversial statement. “We’re very pleased to learn that that statement has been withdrawn as you’ve also mentioned, and we are also very pleased that you, as representatives of the people of Colombia, are determined to stand with us for our sovereignty, for peace in the world, for peace in the subcontinent of India,” he told reporters.

The Congress veteran emphasized the importance of continued dialogue between the two nations, expressing confidence that diplomatic relations would strengthen following the clarification.

The diplomatic tension arose over Colombia’s initial statement regarding Operation Sindoor, which Tharoor had earlier defended as a legitimate military response. The operation was launched following the Pahalgam massacre, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were shot dead by terrorists.

The Pahalgam attack was claimed by The Resistance Front, identified as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) offshoot based in Pakistan. The brutal killing of innocent civilians, including tourists, had prompted India’s military response.

Tharoor has been actively sharing updates from his five-country diplomatic mission, which aims to strengthen India’s international relationships and present the country’s perspective on key issues.

The delegation’s visit to Colombia represents part of India’s broader diplomatic outreach to Latin American nations, seeking to build stronger bilateral ties and ensure accurate understanding of India’s security challenges.