Petro fears 'civil war' in Colombia after alleging electoral fraud

Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro has declared he possesses evidence of fraud in the recent presidential election and issued a stark warning: the rise of the far-right president-elect could plunge the nation into "civil war."

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We are facing fraud and an undoubtedly profound institutional problem, namely the inauguration of an illegitimate president.

Petro stated at a press conference Monday that the June runoff election was marred by "algorithmic, systemic electoral fraud on an enormous volume of votes." He alleged that foreign entities, including "foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms," interfered with the electoral process to benefit his ally, Ivan Cepeda.

The president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, is scheduled to be sworn in Friday in Cali, a departure from the traditional inauguration in Bogota. Petro, who has previously denounced U.S. President Donald Trump's "interference" in Colombian politics, suggested that De la Espriella might seek to extradite him to the United States on fabricated charges. "It's crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like," Petro asserted, linking this potential conflict to public rejection of such plans.

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Foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms” interfered in the outcome of the electoral process.

In response, the left-wing bloc in Congress, led by Cepeda, announced it would boycott the inauguration and called for a day of mobilization. Concerns linger about potential protests, reminiscent of those Petro supported against his predecessor, Ivan Duque, which resulted in dozens of deaths between 2019 and 2021. De la Espriella, who lacks political experience, has pledged to boost private investment, significantly reduce the state's size, and adopt a firm stance against guerrillas and drug cartels amidst Colombia's escalating violence.

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It’s crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like.