Iván Cepeda challenges De La Espriella: if he resigns, I will resign

Senator Iván Cepeda proposed a pact to elected president Abelardo De La Espriella: both resign their credentials if the president takes the first step. The offer arises amid his announcement of civil disobedience.

Senator Iván Cepeda issued a direct challenge to elected president Abelardo De La Espriella on Thursday: “If he resigns his credential, I will also resign mine.” The statement was made during an interview on Mañanas Blu, where the congressman elaborated on his opposition strategy.

Civil disobedience as a constitutional tool

Cepeda explained that his stance of civil disobedience is not a call to violence, but a concept supported by the Constitutional Court. “There are rulings from the Court stating that citizens in exceptional and extreme situations have the right to disobey,” he asserted.

The senator differentiated between legitimacy and legality: “I do not recognise the president in his legitimacy… but I do in his legality. I will not obey orders that conflict with the Constitution.”

Dual nationality as the axis of rejection

Cepeda's main argument against De La Espriella is his dual Colombian and American nationality. According to the senator, the oath of loyalty to the United States obliges the president to prioritise the interests of that country over the Colombian Constitution.

“For me, he will exercise a presidency that does not respect our sovereignty,” Cepeda declared, positioning himself as the main leader of the opposition in Congress.

A direct challenge

In response to criticism for accepting his senator credential while denying the legitimacy of the president, Cepeda replied with a public challenge: “Yes, I accept the credential, yes, I earned it at the polls, just as he has accepted his… Now, if tomorrow he resigns his, I will also resign mine.”

The senator recalled that he obtained his seat with over 12.7 million votes from the Historical Pact, which represents “half the country.” The proposal leaves the ball in the court of the elected president, who has yet to respond publicly.

For Colombians, this political standoff sets the tone for the opposition in the new government. The civil disobedience proposed by Cepeda could translate into legislative blockades and mobilisations, although he insists on a peaceful approach. We will have to wait for De La Espriella's reaction and whether the challenge of mutual resignation resonates.