The officialist presidential candidate for Colombia, Iván Cepeda, has called on his opponent in the second round, the far-right politician Abelardo de la Espriella, to appoint representatives responsible for agreeing on the conditions for a debate between them as soon as possible. At the same time, he has announced that he has launched an investigation into alleged financial irregularities and a supposed vote-buying linked to his opponent's campaign.
During an event in Cali, Cepeda explained that his team has already appointed the delegates who will have to agree with the rival campaign on the basic rules, format, and guarantees of the eventual face-to-face, an initiative proposed after the first presidential round held on May 31.
According to him, the holding of the meeting is still pending the appointment of their own delegates by De la Espriella's team. "We hope that in the coming hours Mr. De la Espriella will appoint his delegates," said the officialist candidate, accusing his rival of delaying the preparation of the debate.
In this context, Cepeda has announced that he will send a formal invitation to RCN, Caracol, and RTVC channels to act as hosts and broadcasters of the presidential debate. In his opinion, these networks can ensure wide coverage and allow the meeting to take place as soon as possible.
"We ask Caracol, RCN, and RTVC that we can reach this scenario very soon, but to do so, the first thing is to agree on minimum rules with the other party," he stressed.
The candidate reiterated his campaign's willingness to participate in the debate and insisted on the importance of setting the conditions for its development in advance to ensure transparency and balance between both candidacies.
ALLEGED VOTE-BUYING LINKED TO DE LA ESPRIELLA'S CAMPAIGN
On the other hand, Cepeda stated that he has entrusted the lawyer and human rights defender Miguel Ángel del Río with the task of gathering information and taking the relevant legal actions regarding the alleged financial anomalies and supposed vote-buying associated with De la Espriella's campaign.
Along the same lines, he has denounced the existence of what he has described as a "dirty campaign" against his candidacy, articulated through digital structures and artificial intelligence tools. According to him, his team already has sufficient evidence to launch an investigation that could lead to legal action.
"We have enough elements to proceed with a rigorous investigation that will culminate in an action of a criminal nature," he stated.
Finally, Cepeda has expressed his expectation that in the coming days both campaigns can reach the necessary agreements to set the date, format, and location of the presidential debate, considered one of the key moments of the final stretch of the Colombian electoral contest.