Outgoing Colombian President, Gustavo Petro, announced on Monday that he possessed what he described as "evidence" proving fraud in the presidential elections, warning that the arrival of his far-right successor to power could drag the country into a "civil war."
Published on: 04/08/2026 - 09:18 Last updated: 04/08/2026 - 11:44
Colombia's outgoing leftist president, Gustavo Petro, warned Monday that the assumption of power by his far-right successor could push the country toward a "civil war." He said he had evidence of fraud in the presidential elections.
Petro said during a press conference: “We are undoubtedly facing a process of fraud and a deep institutional problem, represented by the installation of a president who lacks legitimacy.”
He added that the runoff in the elections that took place in June witnessed “systematic electoral fraud based on algorithms on a large scale,” and that the operation was planned from abroad against his ally, Ivan Cepeda.
Fears of internal unrest following the appointment of Abelardo de la Espriria
Colombian President-elect, Abelardo de la Espriria (48 years old), will be sworn in on Friday in the city of Cali, southwest of the country, in an unprecedented step that contravenes the tradition of holding inauguration ceremonies in the capital, Bogota, in front of Congress.
Before the elections, de la Espriria had received support from US President Donald Trump, while outgoing President Gustavo Petro Trump had previously accused Trump of interfering in Colombian political affairs.
Read also: Presidential elections in Colombia: A right-wing candidate who admires Trump faces a left-wing competitor in the runoff
Petro suggested that the president-elect might seek his extradition to the United States based on what he described as “false accusations,” warning that such a step might face widespread popular rejection and push the country toward civil war. “We know what a civil war can be like in Colombia,” he said.
To view this content from YouTube, it is necessary to allow the collection of viewing rates and YouTube ads.
It appears that an application in your Internet browser is preventing the video player from loading. In order to view this content, you must cancel its use.
Coming from outside traditional political life, de la Espriria pledges to boost private investment and adopt a more stringent security policy in the face of armed groups and drug trafficking networks, at a time when Colombia is witnessing the worst wave of violence in nearly a decade, following the faltering of the peace efforts led by Petro with a number of armed factions.
France 24/AFP
Keywords related to the article
The content you want to browse is no longer in service or is currently unavailable.
