De la Espriella says he won’t allow Colombia’s left to “destabilize democracy”

Colombia's far-right President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed not to permit his nation's left-wing forces to "destabilize democracy" through civil disobedience, even as they challenge his US citizenship. In a recent address to the nation, De la Espriella emphasized that he will assume office on Friday and utilize the "force of the constitution and the law" to safeguard his authority.

Leftist opposition leader Ivan Cepeda had previously announced civil disobedience, which De la Espriella denounced as a "euphemism for an attempt to destabilize democracy." The president-elect insisted, "I will not allow it," emphasizing his commitment to upholding the will of the Colombian people, who elect him as their leader.

De la Espriella urged Colombians to stop normalizing wrongs, illegal activities, and corruption, calling for the accurate labeling of issues and addressing them accordingly. Citing the left's use of terms associated with the now-defunct guerrilla group FARC, De la Espriella argued that the left's approach has failed. Cepeda appealed to supporters to engage in peaceful civil disobedience against De la Espriella's refusal to renounce his US citizenship.

While the Historic Pact, led by De la Espriella, advocates for legal measures to contest his election, claiming fraud concerns remain unresolved, more radical factions within the party, such as outgoing President Gustavo Petro, allege the far-right secured victory through deceit and fraud. However, they have not produced evidence to substantiate their claims of a criminal conspiracy.