A Colombian senator who narrowly lost the nation's presidential election has vowed to engage in "peaceful civil disobedience" if the winner, Abelardo de la Espriella, does not renounce his U.S. citizenship. Senator Iván Cepeda also demanded that de la Espriella clarify whether he is an "agent" of the United States, citing his past defense of a paramilitary leader who was an informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Cepeda, a progressive, stated that de la Espriella, a conservative lawyer, must also desist from any efforts to extradite outgoing President Gustavo Petro. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn are investigating Petro for potential ties to drug traffickers.

"If these conditions of legality are not met, as the leader of the opposition, I will embark on the path of peaceful civil disobedience that implies not recognizing the authority of someone who will not defend our national sovereignty," Cepeda said in a statement.

De la Espriella, who ran on a tough-on-crime platform and received an endorsement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, won the presidential runoff on June 21, defeating Cepeda by approximately 250,000 votes. Cepeda acknowledged the results three days later, after Colombian authorities validated the vote count showing de la Espriella had secured 49.6% of the vote compared to Cepeda's 48.7%.

De la Espriella, 47, who is scheduled to be inaugurated as president on August 7, was born in Bogotá. He obtained U.S. citizenship as an adult after living in Florida for several years, where he managed a law firm that represented high-profile clients, including former paramilitary leaders accused of human rights abuses and businessmen charged with money laundering.

While Cepeda's threat of non-recognition is not expected to have legal implications—de la Espriella has been certified as the election winner by the National Electoral Council—political analysts suggest it could potentially incite street protests or fuel efforts to obstruct de la Espriella's legislative agenda in Congress. Cepeda's party, the Historical Pact, holds the largest number of seats in the Colombian Senate, but it does not command a majority on its own.

De la Espriella has not yet responded to Cepeda's accusations or the demands regarding his U.S. citizenship.