The far-right presidential candidate in Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, reiterated this Thursday that he will continue to wear the official jersey of the Colombian national football team during his events, despite a Bogotá court having banned him from using this garment as part of his electoral strategy for the second round of the presidential elections.
In a message broadcast on his social media, the candidate of the Defensores de la Patria movement stressed that, despite the judicial ruling, he will continue to identify with the colors of the national team. "No one can prevent a Colombian from wearing the colors of their team or from expressing, freely and peacefully, the love they feel for their country," stated the alternative candidate of the Defensores de la Patria movement in a message published on social media, in which he affirmed that he will continue "wearing Colombia's jersey with joy, respect, and patriotism."
De la Espriella argued that the national team's jersey "does not belong to any party, leader, or campaign" and described it as a "symbol of unity, freedom, and national pride." "No one can take away my right to wear the Colombian national team's jersey," he concluded, insisting that the court's decision violates his way of expressing patriotism.
The vice-presidential candidate running with him, José Manuel Restrepo Abondano, publicly supported this stance and shared a video on social media in which he emphasized that he will continue to wear the garment "whenever he wants, wherever he wants, and as many times as he wants." "That means I will wear it today, tomorrow, or on any day it is necessary," he stated, appealing to the "free development of personality and individual liberties" as "fundamental principles" of the country's democracy.
Restrepo Abondano further stressed that "no one can decide how another Colombian expresses their identity, their affections, or their love for the nation. Colombia's jersey is a symbol of honor, freedom, and homeland," thus reinforcing his candidacy's message in the face of the judicial ruling.
The Bogotá court's decision became known this Thursday, after reviewing a lawsuit filed by a citizen who considered that the use of this national symbol in a partisan context could violate fundamental rights such as equality, non-discrimination, and the freedom of choice of the electorate.
In his ruling, the judge has ordered the campaign team of the far-right candidate to "immediately and definitively cease the use of the jersey, colors, or emblems of the Colombian National Team as an identifying symbol of his political party, his campaign, or his personal image in public spaces or any medium".