Petro confirms he will skip De la Espriella's inauguration, repeating fraud claim

MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Wednesday, July 15th 2026 - 22:16 UTC

“I cannot accept a president, and that is why I will not be anywhere on August 7, nor shake his hand; let him say so, but he knows why, because it is a fraud,” Petro said

Colombia's outgoing president, Gustavo Petro, has confirmed he will not attend the August 7 inauguration of his successor, Abelardo de la Espriella, whose victory he continues to reject. The decision breaks with the tradition under which the departing head of state accompanies the president-elect during the oath before Congress.

“I cannot accept a president, and that is why I will not be anywhere on August 7, nor shake his hand; let him say so, but he knows why, because it is a fraud,” Petro said on Tuesday during a televised Cabinet meeting. The president insisted that De la Espriella's win resulted from fraud, an allegation he has maintained without presenting evidence to judicial authorities, and which the National Civil Registry and the National Electoral Council have dismissed by keeping the official results in place.