Abelardo De La Espriella Sworn In As Colombia's President In Historic Ceremony

BOGOTA (Colombia), Aug 8 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Lawyer and political newcomer Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in Friday as President of Colombia during a ceremony in the southwestern city of Cali, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. 

The ceremony outside the capital, Bogota, for the first time breaks more than a century of tradition.

The inauguration marks a sharp ideological pivot for Colombia as De la Espriella succeeds Gustavo Petro, whose four-year term concluded amid deepening political polarisation and economic headwinds.

Rather than the traditional swearing-in at the historic Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá, the ceremony took place at the Arena USC inside the Universidad Santiago de Cali.

The choice of venue followed weeks of intense institutional debate between the incoming and outgoing administrations.

De la Espriella initially proposed taking the oath at a military installation in the conflict-stricken Cauca department as a tribute to Colombia's armed forces. Petro, however, strongly opposed the move, insisting that military bases could not host a political inauguration while he remained commander-in-chief.

Following congressional approval to relocate the ceremony, De la Espriella selected Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca, framing the decision as a commitment to administrative decentralization and regional security. As a gesture toward the armed forces, De la Espriella scheduled his first official act as president at the Marco Fidel Suarez Air Force Base in Cali immediately following the inauguration.

The ceremony drew significant international representation, particularly from conservative leaders across the Americas and Europe. Among the high-profile heads of state and dignitaries in attendance were King Felipe VI of Spain, Javier Milei, President of Argentina, Daniel Noboa, president of Ecuador, Santiago Peña, president of Paraguay, Laura Fernandez, president-elect of Costa Rica, Jose Raul Mulino, president of Panama, Luis Abinader, president of the Dominican Republic and Todd Blanche, US Acting Attorney General, heading a high-level American security and diplomatic delegation

Notable absentees included Petro, who broke with precedent by choosing not to attend the ceremony. Meanwhile, analysts from Petro's Pacto Histórico coalition boycotted the inauguration and held demonstrations in major cities, including Cali.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU