The news instantly spread across the nation and quickly disseminated worldwide.
A media storm? Indeed there was.
Some Western mainstream media and human rights organizations immediately issued sharp criticisms. Headlines like "President Benede blatantly threatening dissenters," "Colombia slipping into the abyss of dictatorship," and "Wealth tax policy could trigger capital flight" dominated the press.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed deep concern over the threatening rhetoric and potential human rights violations.
Then the Mexican UN commissioner, Joachim Ribbentrop, retorted, "Mind your own business!"
In some European parliaments, there were calls to reassess relations with Colombia and concerns over allegations of "systematic clearance of the opposition."
