The outgoing president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, reiterated on Monday his allegations of fraud in the elections of June 21 and stated that the real winner is the philosopher Iván Cepeda, not Abelardo de la Espriella.
The outgoing president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has hardened his stance following the presidential elections of June 21. In a message published on his X account, Petro asserted that Abelardo de la Espriella "did not win" the elections and that the true elected president is the philosopher Iván Cepeda, who received 12.7 million votes compared to De la Espriella's 12.9 million.
Allegations of algorithmic manipulation
Petro claims that there was fraud through the manipulation of algorithms during the counting process. According to the outgoing president, an IP server located in Los Angeles, California, owned by the Bautista brothers, altered the voting in favour of De la Espriella. However, he has not provided evidence to support his accusations.
Election observation missions congratulated the National Registry and the National Electoral Council for the organization of the elections, which contrasts with Petro's allegations.
Call for mobilisations on July 20
Petro has called on citizens to mobilise on July 20, Independence Day and the date of the new Congress's installation, to "raise the cry of national independence in all public squares." The aim is to defend the social reforms promoted during his Government.
The outgoing president had already made this call on Sunday, in an attempt to maintain political pressure as the power transfer approaches.
Transition without direct meeting
The transition process between the outgoing Executive and the team of the elected president began last week with meetings between the elected vice president, José Manuel Restrepo, and the outgoing Minister of Finance, Germán Ávila. Petro and De la Espriella have ruled out meeting in person, so the handover is taking place solely through their teams. This situation is unprecedented in recent Colombian politics.
For readers interested in Colombian politics, Petro's refusal to acknowledge the electoral result and the lack of concrete evidence generate uncertainty about the stability of the transition process. The business community and investors are closely monitoring these events, as the legitimacy of the new Government is key to economic confidence.
On August 7, De la Espriella will assume the presidency, but Petro has already announced that he does not recognise the legitimacy of the incoming Government. It remains to be seen whether the mobilisations on July 20 will have an impact and how they will affect the political and economic climate of the country.
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