Alfredo Saade, chief of staff to Colombian President Gustavo Petro, is the subject of a new controversy after he posted a message on social media that critics say signals an attempt to censor the press.
'Submissive journalism must be controlled,' Saade wrote on X on Monday, July 21. While he didn’t mention any specific outlets or journalists, the comment drew swift backlash from press freedom advocates and political commentators.
It’s not the first time Saade has made similar statements online. In March 2024, before joining Petro’s cabinet, he accused the media of “lying” and “destroying the president’s moral standing.”
'Proposal: any news outlet that publishes false headlines or false testimony damaging to a person’s moral standing and good name must be shut down without hesitation. Rise up, Colombia,' he wrote at the time.
