Key facts
- Colombian Senator Iván Cepeda, who lost the recent presidential election, threatened civil disobedience.
- Cepeda demands the election winner, Abelardo de la Espriella, renounce his U.S. citizenship.
- Cepeda also questioned de la Espriella's potential conflicts of interest and ties to U.S. agencies.
- De la Espriella, a conservative lawyer endorsed by Donald Trump, won the runoff election.
- Cepeda's stance could lead to street protests or congressional obstruction, though it has no legal standing.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Iván Cepeda, a Colombian senator who recently lost the nation’s presidential election, stated he will not recognize Abelardo de la Espriella, the winner of the June runoff, as the new head of state unless de la Espriella renounces his U.S. citizenship.
Cepeda urged de la Espriella to renounce his U.S. citizenship, citing potential conflicts of interest. He also questioned whether de la Espriella, a criminal defense lawyer who represented a former paramilitary leader linked to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, acts as an agent of the United States. Furthermore, Cepeda demanded that de la Espriella desist from any efforts to extradite outgoing President Gustavo Petro, who is reportedly under investigation by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn.
"If these conditions of legality are not met, as the leader of the opposition, I will embark on the path of peaceful civil disobedience that implies not recognizing the authority of someone who will not defend our national sovereignty," Cepeda said.
De la Espriella, a conservative lawyer endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump, won the presidential runoff by approximately 250,000 votes. Cepeda acknowledged the results three days after the election, following validation by Colombian authorities. De la Espriella, who is set to be inaugurated on August 7, obtained U.S. citizenship as an adult after living in Florida.
While Cepeda's threat of non-recognition carries no legal weight, as de la Espriella has been certified the winner, a political science professor suggested it could incite street protests or justify efforts to block the president-elect's agenda in Congress. Cepeda's party holds the most senators but lacks a majority on its own.