About thirty Colombian political leaders, mostly linked to right-wing sectors, have launched harsh criticism against President Gustavo Petro and former government candidate Iván Cepeda for their "openly anti-democratic attitude" in questioning Abelardo de la Espriella's victory in the second round of the presidential elections on June 21.
In a three-page letter addressed to public opinion and signed by 27 political figures, it is warned that "both have begun to question the electoral results, in an openly anti-democratic attitude, placing the country on the brink of a serious institutional crisis."
Among the signatories are former ministers such as José Antonio Ocampo, Juan Camilo Restrepo, Cecilia López, and Alejandro Gaviria, who emphasize that "the elections of June 21 were admirable" and recall that international electoral missions, as well as different foreign institutions and governments, certified this.
The document also firmly rejects the proposal of "civil disobedience" promoted by Cepeda in recent days, considering that "it attempts to deny the legitimacy of the new president despite his electoral triumph through a subterfuge: his dual Colombian-American nationality" and warns that this stance may "give rise to acts of violence."
In this regard, the signatories insist that "incitements to civil disobedience could lead to severe social disorders, such as the disturbance of public order, the decline in tax payments, or disobedience to officials appointed by the president. That these acts of disobedience are peaceful does not make them legal. And much less convenient for the democratic stability of the country."
Direct Message to De la Espriella
The letter also includes a specific message to the president-elect. They demand of Abelardo de la Espriella that he "be a symbol of national unity" and that he govern "for everyone," reminding him that "everyone's peace comes from each person's peaceful behavior" and that political leaders, despite their disagreements, "have a moral duty to set an example."
Although the signatories maintain that dual Colombian-American nationality does not prevent holding the head of state position, they warn that it can generate "a complex conflict of interest" in conducting foreign policy and in defending national interests.
Therefore, the text points out that "despite the many common values and policies, both Colombia and the United States must look out for their own (...) it would be welcome if De la Espriella renounces his U.S. nationality: 'Colombia first'", in a direct allusion to the slogan 'America First' popularized by Donald Trump.
The fact that De la Espriella maintains his U.S. passport and has not offered clarifications about possible ties with agencies of that country's Government was one of the arguments used by Cepeda to justify the call for this "political civil disobedience".
In the final section of the letter, which also bears the signature of former Vice Presidential candidate Juan Daniel Oviedo and intellectuals such as Moises Wasserman, Eduardo Pizarro, or Pedro Medellín, all parties are urged to move forward on minimum agreements that allow safeguarding democracy and avoiding an escalation of institutional tension.