Colombia: De la Espriella takes office in Cali without Petro present
Abelardo de la Espriella takes office as president of Colombia on Friday at a ceremony held at the Santiago de Cali University, outside Bogotá and without the attendance of his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, in a handover marked by confrontation between the two men.
Abelardo de la Espriella assumes presidency of Colombia in Santiago de Cali on Friday, without predecessor Gustavo Petro in attendance. The 47-year-old lawyer, who has never held public office, won the June 21 runoff against Iván Cepeda. De la Espriella, accompanied by Vice President José Manuel Restrepo, will govern alongside Petro until 2030.
Petro accused De la Espriella of reaching power through electoral fraud, despite lacking evidence presented to judicial authorities. National registrar Hernán Penagos confirmed the election results, while the Council of State validated the venue choice. The constitutional requirement for Congress attendance, not the departing president, was met by approving the Cali university ceremony, despite Petro's rejection of the military garrison proposal.
The incoming government faces several challenges, including security issues, fiscal deficit, and health system crisis, aiming to build large prisons and cut state size by 40%. De la Espriella has expressed intentions to secure the capture or death of five significant armed group leaders and move the capital to Barranquilla. The president's past includes high-profile litigation and advising paramilitary groups under former President Alvaro Uribe.
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