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Rodrigo Paz offers apologies for his absence at the inauguration of Colombia's president
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Rodrigo Paz offers apologies for his absence at the inauguration of Colombia's president

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz apologized for his absence at the inauguration of Colombia's president-elect.
  • Paz announced a Bolivian delegation would attend in his place.
  • The absence comes amid past diplomatic tensions between Bolivia and the outgoing Colombian government.

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has offered a brief apology for his inability to attend the inauguration of Colombia's president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella. Paz announced that a Bolivian delegation would represent the country at the ceremony on Friday.

I take this opportunity to greet the president-elect and apologize, a Bolivian delegation will be present tomorrow (Friday).

— Rodrigo PazThe Bolivian president announced his country would send a delegation to the inauguration in his stead.

Paz made the announcement during a special session of Parliament commemorating Bolivia's 201 years of independence. He conveyed his congratulations to the president-elect via telephone, recalling that De la Espriella's first words were "Long live Bolivia, damn it!" to which Paz responded, "Long live Colombia, damn it!"

Long live Bolivia, damn it!

— Abelardo de la EspriellaThe Colombian president-elect's initial greeting to President Paz.

The president's absence occurs against a backdrop of recent diplomatic strain between Bolivia and the outgoing Colombian administration under President Gustavo Petro. Bolivia previously expelled the Colombian ambassador, citing Petro's remarks about an alleged "popular insurrection" in Bolivia as interference. De la Espriella, an ultrarightist lawyer, will succeed Petro, who has vowed to lead opposition and "civil disobedience" against the new government.

Long live Colombia, damn it! Congratulations, Colombia, congratulations on your decision and your democracy.

— Rodrigo PazPresident Paz's response to the president-elect's greeting.
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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