Exclusive Interview: María Fernanda Cabal Talks Politics, Propaganda, and Her Vision for Colombia’s Presidency

Our Editor-in-Chief at Gateway Hispanic, María Herrera Mellado, conducted an exclusive interview with María Fernanda Cabal, Colombia’s most voted senator and potential first female president, during CPAC Mexico 2024.

María Herrera: María Fernanda, it’s a pleasure to have you here again at CPAC. How are you feeling?

M. Fernanda: I’m doing well. Very well and quite happy.

María Herrera: We’re thrilled to have you back in Mexico. We heard Texas Senator Ted Cruz speak about the importance of exposing Maduro and the fraud in Venezuela. Why do you think Petro in Colombia or Boric in Chile are now questioning Maduro’s legitimacy, despite having been allies until recently?

M. Fernanda: Well, Boric might be a bit more honest than Petro. Petro, on the other hand, has a more criminal background. This is simply a matter of adapting to the situation, particularly to the U.S. sanctions. You can’t just claim everything was fine. Besides, Petro himself used fraudulent tactics internally, but against a weak government like the previous one under President Duque to seize power. So, it’s inconsistent to support freedom in Venezuela while backing the repression of youth protests in Colombia, which were funded by drug money to destroy popular cities. Petro has no choice but to put on a facade now, but at the end of the day, he remains a friend and partner of Maduro, who helped him win the election.

María Herrera: Understood. Santiago Abascal in Spain has stated that he will launch the biggest offensive in Europe to expose Maduro’s tyranny and is seeking allies. What is your stance? I know you’re part of the Madrid Forum group and signed the letter. What is your position? What should Colombia’s stance be regarding the European Union in the fight against the advance of 21st-century socialism in the region?

M. Fernanda: The challenge is that we have to do this from within the political parties because, in our case, we have a far-left government in Colombia, an anarchist government led by a professional anarchist. We must take the offensive from think tanks and civil society, which is mostly watching as societies that once prided themselves on being civilized and free fall into tyranny’s hands. Why are we so cowardly in the West? We see what’s happening right before our eyes, allow the worst to happen, and don’t confront tyrannies like Maduro’s with the rigor they deserve. If we continue like this, we will end up playing the role of Neville Chamberlain in World War II, practically exposing the survival of England and the rest of Europe to Nazi Germany.

María Herrera: Last question, María Fernanda. Kamala Harris was just nominated by the Democratic Party. She supports policies that have already devastated countries like Colombia, Venezuela, and Cuba, but she is a woman who identifies as Black, although she was previously identified as Indian. Why are women supporting and voting for figures like Kamala Harris, Claudia Sheinbaum, and other puppets, as you call them, of the Puebla Group and the São Paulo Forum, who don’t represent values like life and freedom? Why are women giving away their votes in these countries?

M. Fernanda: Because we’ve made many mistakes, among them not knowing how to communicate effectively. We hold the truth and defend what we believe is morally right, but some are afraid to speak out, and others communicate so poorly or at such length that people don’t understand. The left excels in propaganda, in spreading lies, but they succeed by waving the banners of just causes only to pervert them. That’s why they control causes like women’s rights, environmentalism, animal rights, and LGBTQ issues. They own everything that society considers sensitive, and any dissenting opinion is attacked. But in the end, all they care about is power, and they will ultimately persecute everyone, including those who don’t share their ideas. Propaganda and communication, María—we need to learn how to communicate without lying, but in a way that appeals to today’s audience with short, powerful, and visually stunning messages. Society has stopped reading; now it’s all about messages no longer than 20 seconds. Young people will turn off their phones if it takes longer, saying, «Let’s watch something else.» We lack the brilliance they have in creating propaganda and communication to show people that what they are saying is false.

María Herrera: Would you be a very different candidate for Colombia’s presidency compared to Claudia Sheinbaum and Kamala Harris?

M. Fernanda: Absolutely. I don’t like being recognized in my role just because I’m a woman—I find that troubling. I believe merit should be the key factor in any appointment. But that’s not how it works. Here, it’s all about sexual orientation, skin color, all with that false leftist sensitivity. But the ones who suffer are those who receive this kind of public policy design. You wouldn’t put an incompetent, a slacker, or a liar in a management position. You wouldn’t hire a thief or a slacker in your company, yet they give us thieves and slackers in government roles.

María Herrera: Thank you so much for your time.

M. Fernanda: Thank you.