Gustavo Petro bids farewell to Colombia's presidential palace

Colombian President Gustavo Petro made his final exit from the Casa de Nariño presidential palace on Friday, marking the end of his four-year term. In a solemn ceremony, Petro, dressed in white and accompanied by his youngest daughter, Antonella, bid farewell after receiving a final military tribute in the Plaza de Armas.

Petro shared a farewell video on social media, where Antonella read a message of thanks to the staff who worked at the Casa de Nariño during his presidency. The message conveyed deep gratitude for their labor and companionship, stating, "This is not goodbye, it's see you soon."

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Goodbye. Freedom and life. Always, always and always. Thank you for having accompanied me, soldiers for having taken care of me. I believe you leave better than when I entered. So, long live free Colombia!

The transition to the incoming ultra-right-wing president, Abelardo de la Espriella, is characterized by significant departures from tradition. Unlike his predecessors, Petro did not deliver a traditional farewell address to the nation, possibly signaling his intent to return as the leader of the opposition. The transfer of power has been complicated by the fact that the outgoing and incoming presidents never met to discuss the handover.

De la Espriella has announced he will not reside in the Casa de Nariño, intending to convert it into a museum and govern from regional hubs like Barranquilla, Cali, and Medellín. Furthermore, the inauguration ceremony, which will be attended by Spain's King Felipe VI and several Latin American presidents, will take place at the USC Arena of Santiago de Cali University instead of the traditional legislative venue. De la Espriella also plans to deliver his first presidential address from the Pichincha Battalion barracks, with military leaders as witnesses, diverging from the customary address to authorities and guests at the inauguration site.

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To all the staff who have helped us, cared for us, and accompanied us in recent years, we want to extend our deepest gratitude.