Abelardo de la Espriella Inaugurated as Colombia's President Amidst Political Divisions

Abelardo de la Espriella officially began his term as President of Colombia for 2026-2030 during an inauguration ceremony Friday at the USC Arena of Santiago de Cali University. The event drew a significant number of national and international representatives, including heads of state from approximately ten countries, alongside a majority of the Colombian Congress.

The ceremony commenced with the verification of legislative quorum, followed by a formal invitation to the president-elect to enter the venue. However, the proceedings experienced a notable delay as attendees waited for De la Espriella and his wife, Ana Lucía Pineda, to arrive. International guests and national figures were already seated in the auditorium, which was adorned with Colombian flowers and large screens displaying the message “Bienvenidos a la Patria Milagro.”

A striking aspect of the inauguration was the absence of congress members from the Pacto Histórico party, the political collective of outgoing President Gustavo Petro. This boycott stems from their belief that De la Espriella is an illegitimate president and their continued questioning of the election results. In contrast, several former Colombian presidents, including César Gaviria, Andrés Pastrana, Álvaro Uribe, and Iván Duque, were in attendance.

Notable international figures present included King Felipe VI of Spain, along with leaders such as Javier Milei of Argentina, Daniel Noboa of Ecuador, Santiago Peña of Paraguay, José Raúl Mulino of Panama, Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic, José Antonio Kast of Chile, and Nasry Asfura of Honduras. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also attended the event, underscoring the international significance of the presidential transition.