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Colombian opposition to protest president-elect's inauguration in three cities
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Colombian opposition to protest president-elect's inauguration in three cities

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency New plan
  • Senator Iván Cepeda announced protests in Bogotá, Cali, and Barranquilla on August 7, the inauguration day of president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella.
  • These peaceful demonstrations are part of 'civil disobedience' actions against the president-elect, who chose to hold his inauguration in Cali.
  • The Pacto Histórico party will also state its position on potential decrees from the new government and remains open to dialogue but will resist authoritarianism.

Senator Iván Cepeda announced that the Pacto Histórico party will hold peaceful demonstrations in Bogotá, Cali, and Barranquilla on August 7, the day ultraconservative Abelardo de la Espriella is set to be inaugurated as president. Cepeda, who lost the presidential election runoff to De la Espriella on June 22, stated that these gatherings are part of 'civil disobedience' actions against the president-elect.

The demonstrations will take place in specific locations: Barranquilla, Puerto Resistencia monument in Cali, and the Capitol in Bogotá. De la Espriella's decision to hold the inauguration ceremony in Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca department, rather than the traditional venue in Bogotá, has also drawn attention. This marks the first time a presidential inauguration will be held outside the capital, symbolizing a commitment to a region historically affected by violence and drug trafficking.

No van a ser movilizaciones ni marchas, van a ser concentraciones en Barranquilla (...) en la ciudad de Cali vamos a estar en el monumento que hay en Puerto Resistencia (...) y en la ciudad de Bogotá en el Capitolio

— Iván CepedaExplaining the nature and locations of the planned demonstrations.

Cepeda emphasized that the opposition will be peaceful, non-violent, organized, and responsible, operating within the bounds of democracy, the constitution, and the law. The Pacto Histórico plans to articulate its stance on any decrees the new government might issue upon assuming power. The party, which includes outgoing president Gustavo Petro, has expressed willingness to engage in dialogue and seek agreements with the incoming administration.

However, Cepeda also issued a warning: "If the path is dialogue and consensus, it will find an attitude absolutely willing to do so. But if the path is authoritarianism and imposition by force, it will face formidable rejection from us." The Pacto Histórico will not attend the inauguration ceremony, which is scheduled to take place at the Arena USC of the Universidad Santiago de Cali.

La oposición que ejercemos y vamos a ejercer será pacífica, no violenta, organizada y responsable. El Pacto Histórico actúa en democracia y dentro de los límites de la Constitución y la ley

— Iván CepedaDescribing the approach of the Pacto Histórico's opposition.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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