Spain's King, 7 Latin American Presidents to Attend Colombian President-Elect's Inauguration

King Felipe VI of Spain and seven Latin American presidents are set to attend the inauguration of Colombia's president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, in Cali. Mayor Alejandro Eder announced that ten high-level delegations have confirmed their presence for the August 7 ceremony.

Among the confirmed attendees are the presidents of Argentina (Javier Milei), Ecuador (Daniel Noboa), Paraguay (Santiago Peña), Costa Rica (Laura Fernández), Panama (José Mulino), the Dominican Republic (Luis Abinader), Chile (José Antonio Kast), and Honduras (Nasry Asfura). El Salvador and Guatemala will be represented by their vice presidents, while Curaçao's Prime Minister Gilmar Pisa and Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira will also attend.

Notably, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar will be present, signaling an immediate resumption of diplomatic relations with Colombia, which were severed in May 2024 by the previous administration. The attendance of representatives from Venezuela, Peru, Mexico, and the United States is still pending confirmation. High-level representation from the U.S. is expected, given de la Espriella's ties to the Trump administration.

The inauguration in Cali is significant as it marks the first time in recent history a Colombian president will be sworn in outside the capital, Bogotá. President-elect de la Espriella stated that this move is intended to decentralize power and that the ceremony will be austere, held at the Universidad Santiago de Cali.