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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Elections & Politics

Petro suggests Miami for successor's inauguration amid venue dispute

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Colombian President Gustavo Petro suggested his successor, Abelardo de la Espriella, hold his inauguration ceremony in Miami.
  • Petro's suggestion stems from difficulties in finding a suitable venue in Colombia for the inauguration, which is scheduled for August 7.
  • The outgoing president also criticized the president-elect's desire to hold the ceremony at a military base, calling it a sign of "arrogance."

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has proposed that his successor, Abelardo de la Espriella, hold his upcoming inauguration ceremony in Miami, citing difficulties in securing a venue within Colombia that meets the president-elect's wishes. The suggestion comes as less than two weeks remain before De la Espriella is set to take office on August 7.

They are looking for a place for the new president to be sworn in and cannot find one in Colombia. They should do it in Miami, as they seek air conditioning when we have so much natural air in Colombia.

— Gustavo PetroSuggesting Miami as an alternative venue for the presidential inauguration due to difficulties in finding a location in Colombia.

Petro, speaking on the social platform X, remarked, "They are looking for a place for the new president to be sworn in and cannot find one in Colombia. They should do it in Miami, as they seek air conditioning when we have so much natural air in Colombia." The president-elect reportedly desires to hold the ceremony at a military unit in Cauca, a region heavily affected by armed conflict, as a tribute to "the true heroes of the homeland."

However, logistical, security, and protocol challenges have complicated this plan. Traditionally, Colombian presidential inaugurations take place before Congress, often in the Plaza de Bolívar in downtown Bogotá. Recent ceremonies have been held in the public square, and there is no recent precedent for holding the event at a military installation outside the capital.

Out of arrogance, the illegitimate president does not want to be sworn in at the Plaza de Bolívar because that uncomfortable liberator bothers his conscience.

— Gustavo PetroCriticizing the president-elect's venue choice and questioning the legitimacy of his election.

Petro, who has questioned the legitimacy of De la Espriella's election, further criticized the president-elect's venue preference. "Out of arrogance, the illegitimate president does not want to be sworn in at the Plaza de Bolívar because that uncomfortable liberator bothers his conscience," Petro stated. He urged De la Espriella to "face Bolívar in his plaza and invite the people to see if the votes were real or fake."

Face Bolívar in his plaza and invite the people to see if the votes were real or fake.

— Gustavo PetroChallenging the president-elect to hold the inauguration in Bogotá's main square.
DistantNews Editorial

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

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