As Colombia prepares for its presidential inauguration, outgoing President Gustavo Petro has reiterated claims of fraud in the nation's June election, which his party narrowly lost to conservative leader Abelardo de la Espriella. Petro's party ally, Ivan Cepeda, was defeated by de la Espriella by 250,000 votes.
During a presentation to journalists, Petro alleged that vote counts from thousands of tally sheets were manipulated by programmers after they were transmitted to the national registrar's office. He described the election as "obscure" and manipulated by foreign powers, stating that officials did not provide necessary metadata for scanned tally sheets posted online. "We are facing a profound institutional problem," Petro said. "And it’s the inauguration of an illegitimate president."
International observers and Colombian electoral authorities have dismissed Petro's accusations. De la Espriella, a conservative lawyer, is scheduled to be sworn into office for a four-year term on Friday. Under Colombian law, Petro has limited recourse to prevent the inauguration, as de la Espriella's victory has already been certified.
Analysts suggest that Petro's persistent claims of electoral fraud could potentially undermine de la Espriella's legitimacy among some voters and further polarize the country. Cepeda has stated plans to organize protests against the incoming president and will not recognize him as leader until de la Espriella renounces his dual U.S. citizenship.
Petro, a former member of a rebel group, also urged individuals in rural areas to establish committees he termed "liberation guards" to counter actions by military detachments he claims are aligned with local mafia groups. Andres Macias, a political science professor at Colombia's Externado University, commented that Petro's statements might serve to "justify the use of weapons by civilians" in regions already affected by conflict involving the Colombian military, drug traffickers, and rebel groups.
Petro expressed concerns about his personal safety after leaving office, fearing he might be "extracted" from Colombia as he plans to lead the opposition and continue his claims of a rigged election. He stated, "I’ve been told to behave well. But as a democrat I cannot accept this electoral fraud."