Big Changes in Colombia: Why the President Won’t Show Up on August 7

What Usually Happens on August 7?

In Colombia, there is a special day every few years called August 7. On this day:

• The old president (the one leaving) meets the new president.
• The new leader says a promise in front of the country’s Congress (like a big rule-making group).
• The old president shakes the new president’s hand.
• This shows a peaceful and friendly handover of power.

For many decades, this was the normal picture of passing the torch.

What Is Different This Time?

This year, on August 7, something unusual will happen:

• The current president, Gustavo Petro, will not be there.
• He will not go to the ceremony for Abelardo de la Espriella, who won the election.
• Petro says he does not accept De la Espriella as president.
• He said: “I will not be anywhere on August 7, and I will not shake his hand. He knows why — because it is a fraud.”

Important: Petro confirmed he will still leave the president job on August 7 as planned. He just will not attend the handshake event.

Why Does Petro Say It’s a Fraud?

Petro is from a left-wing group (meaning he supports policies that help working people and the poor). He says:

• The win by De la Espriella is “spurious” (not valid).
• There was a “fraud” (cheating in the election).
• He says a foreign plot changed the votes, but he has not shown proof.

He mentioned two groups he thinks were involved:

• Black Cube: an Israeli spying company known for secret watching and phone tapping.
• Thomas Greg & Sons: a Colombian company hired to handle the election’s computer and tech work.

Petro says about 848,000 votes had problems.

Important: Petro says he is NOT asking people to be violent. He said: “Will we be violent? No. 37 years ago we chose peace.” He was part of a group called M-19 that gave up weapons long ago.

How Close Was the Election?

De la Espriella won on June 21 in a second round against left-wing senator Iván Cepeda.

• The difference was tiny: only 0.96% (about 248,000 votes).

Why Don’t They Get Along?

The two leaders have very different ideas:

• Petro: first left-wing president in decades.
• De la Espriella: represents a far-right force (very conservative and tough) that grew by saying “we are against Petro.”

Because of this, they could not do the usual “empalme” (a friendly meeting to plan the handover).

What Went Wrong With the Handover Plan?

1. Teams from both sides met without the leaders.
2. Both sides accused each other of bad intentions.
3. De la Espriella called Petro’s team “the most corrupt government in history” (no proof).
4. Petro kept saying there was fraud.
5. De la Espriella stopped the handover meetings and called Petro’s government “coup-making” (trying to steal power).

Where Will the New President Take Office?

Normally, the new president must promise the job before the full Congress (as the Constitution says).

But De la Espriella wants to do it differently:

• He wants to take office in a military base in the south of Colombia.
• He asked the new Congress to allow this.
• The Senate secretary says it might be possible by law.
• The new Congress starts on July 20, so we will see if they approve it.

Petro, still the boss of the military until August 7:

• Forbade using any military base for De la Espriella’s ceremony.
• De la Espriella replied on social media: he will still take office at a military site to “honor the soldiers.”

Important: Right now, nobody knows exactly where the power handover will happen. The only sure thing: no meeting and no friendly handshake.

Summary

• On August 7, President Petro will not attend the ceremony for winner Abelardo de la Espriella.
• Petro says the election was fraud but will still leave power on that day.
• The two leaders have deep political differences and skipped the normal transition steps.
• There is a fight about where the new president should take the oath.
• No proof of fraud has been shown, and Petro says peace must stay.

FAQ

1. Will Petro stay president after August 7?
No. He confirmed he will leave the job on August 7 as the law says.

2. Did De la Espriella win fairly?
Petro says no and claims fraud, but he has not shown evidence. De la Espriella won by a very small margin.

3. What is the “empalme”?
It is the normal process where the old and new teams meet to organize a smooth handover of government duties.

4. Can the new president take office in a military base?
The Constitution says it must be before Congress, but De la Espriella asked for a legal exception, and some officials say it may be possible.

5. Is there danger of violence?
Petro has clearly said no to violence and referenced Colombia’s peace decisions from 37 years ago.