Colombia's president-elect alleges Petro is attempting a 'coup d'état'
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Colombia's president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, accused outgoing President Gustavo Petro of attempting a "coup d'état" and urged the armed forces to disobey any such orders.
- De la Espriella, representing an far-right administration, claims Petro and his allies are trying to cling to power through illicit means and has identified issues in drug trafficking, state contracts, and healthcare under Petro's government.
- Petro, Colombia's first left-wing president, denies the allegations, citing foreign interference and electoral fraud, and has called for protests, while international observers and electoral authorities have dismissed claims of manipulation.
Colombia's political landscape is fraught with tension as president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella accuses outgoing leader Gustavo Petro of orchestrating a "coup d'état." De la Espriella, who secured a narrow victory with less than 1% of the vote, has suspended the transition process, labeling it an "exhaustive audit" of Petro's administration. He alleges corruption in the fight against drug trafficking, irregular state contract awards, and deficiencies in the healthcare system.
Petro and Cepeda initiated their plan B to stay in power at all costs. And they want to do it through a coup d'état.
De la Espriella, a staunch admirer of Donald Trump, claims Petro and his political heir, Iván Cepeda, are employing a "plan B" to retain power illegitimately. Petro, in turn, has accused De la Espriella of winning with foreign aid, which is unconstitutional, and of ceding national sovereignty. The incoming far-right administration, supported by Trump, promises a strong relationship between Colombia and the United States, contrasting sharply with the ideological differences between Petro and Trump.
You were elected with foreign help, prohibited by the Constitution (...) and ceded national sovereignty to be president.
Petro disputes De la Espriella's legitimacy, alleging electoral fraud and calling for protests on July 20, his final day in office. Senator Cepeda, while acknowledging the election results, has declared "civil disobedience" against the new government. Despite these claims, international observers and electoral authorities have found no evidence of electoral manipulation. De la Espriella, who calls himself "El Tigre," plans to boost private investment, reduce state spending, and intensify the fight against guerrillas and drug cartels, tapping into public discontent over Petro's peace negotiation attempts amid rising violence.
Not everything is valid in the exercise of political control. The statements made against Dr. Roger Mina seriously injure his honor, his good name, and his reputation, so we will exercise all criminal, civil, and constitutional actions contemplated by the legal system.
Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.