MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

De la Espriella sworn in before Congress in Cali, delivers first speech to the military

Abelardo de la Espriella delivers his first speech as president at the Pichincha Battalion in Cali

Abelardo de la Espriella took office as president of Colombia in Cali on Friday, the first time a Colombian leader has been sworn in outside Bogotá, and delivered his first speech at an Army battalion rather than before Congress, breaking with the country's institutional tradition.

The oath was taken at the Santiago de Cali University Arena, an auditorium seating more than 2,500. Senate President Honorio Henríquez placed the presidential sash on him before the full Congress. Shortly afterwards, De la Espriella moved to the Pichincha Battalion, where he spoke for more than an hour before the commanders of the armed forces and the police.

“The time has come to restore order, authority and freedom,” he said. He declared himself president of all Colombians, thanked Jesus Christ for sustaining the country through a history marked by violence, and said his victory was a victory for Colombian democracy against what he called totalitarian Bolivarian models.

The change of venue was decided at the last minute. The president-elect had intended to be sworn in at a military garrison, which Gustavo Petro blocked by barring military and police facilities from making preparations, arguing that a civilian should take office before the people and not before arms. Congress authorized only the university venue. Congresswoman Mafe Carrascal, of the Pacto Histórico, said moving the speech to a battalion amounted to bypassing the legislature.

His announcements included a tax reform aimed at discouraging evasion, the elimination of the wealth tax, the publication of a list of narco-terrorist organizations, the eradication of coca crops and financial inclusion for informal workers. He also promised measures on health, education and energy, and ordered action against all criminal structures.

De la Espriella, a 47-year-old criminal defense lawyer with no previous experience in public office, won the June 21 runoff by 250,830 votes, less than one percentage point over Iván Cepeda, the narrowest margin in a Colombian runoff in 32 years. He will govern until 2030 alongside Vice President José Manuel Restrepo.

The ceremony brought together ten heads of state, two vice presidents and fifteen foreign ministers, among them King Felipe VI of Spain and the presidents of Argentina, Javier Milei; Ecuador, Daniel Noboa; Paraguay, Santiago Peña; and Panama, José Raúl Mulino. In the morning, the new president held bilateral meetings with Milei, Noboa, Chile's José Antonio Kast, the US delegation and the king.

The United States sent a mid-ranking delegation led by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, along with the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Sara Carter, and the vice president's national security adviser, Cliff Sims. Donald Trump, JD Vance and Marco Rubio did not travel.

Nayib Bukele, Keiko Fujimori, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Claudia Sheinbaum and Yamandú Orsi also stayed away. Petro, who does not recognize the election result, left the Casa de Nariño in the morning and said the popular mandate must be respected. Pacto Histórico lawmakers led marches in Bogotá, Barranquilla and Cali. Former presidents Juan Manuel Santos and Ernesto Samper were excluded from the guest list; Álvaro Uribe attended.

At the end of the day, Cepeda announced the creation of a shadow cabinet to oppose the new government.

The ceremony included remarks by a rabbi, an evangelical pastor, a Catholic priest and a monsignor. More than 11,000 security personnel guarded the city and Kfir jets flew over Cali during the speech. The choice of venue reflects a campaign pledge to govern from the regions: De la Espriella has said he will make Barranquilla an alternate capital and turn Cali and Medellín into satellite seats of the presidency.