De la Espriella Denounces Plan to Destabilize Colombia; Rejects 'Leftist Civil Disobedience'

President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has accused Colombia's leftist opposition and the outgoing president of orchestrating a plan to destabilize the nation. De la Espriella asserted that actions described as "civil disobedience" are intended to undermine the democracy that Colombians chose through their votes.

Senator Iván Cepeda, who narrowly lost the election to De la Espriella, announced that the opposition will stage demonstrations in Bogotá, Cali, and Barranquilla on August 7, the day of De la Espriella's inauguration. Cepeda described these as "concentrations" rather than marches, with specific locations including the Capitol in Bogotá. He stated these peaceful gatherings are part of a strategy of "civil disobedience" against the incoming president, whom Petro's party, Pacto Histórico, does not recognize.

De la Espriella, in a social media statement, called for the country to reject "legalizing the incorrect, the illegal, the crooked." He emphasized that he is the president for all Colombians and will enforce the constitution and law. He explicitly rejected the term "civil disobedience," calling it a "euphemism to try to destabilize democracy" and vowed not to permit it.

The inauguration ceremony itself will deviate from tradition. It is scheduled to take place at the USC Arena of Santiago de Cali University, not the traditional Salón Elíptico of the National Capitol. Notably, no members of the Pacto Histórico party are expected to attend De la Espriella's swearing-in.

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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.