Abelardo de la Espriella assumes the Presidency of Colombia: latest LIVE news
Minute by minute narration
Santiago Peña, president of Paraguay, before entering the USC Arena.
Javier Milei, president of Argentina, spoke to journalists before entering the USC auditorium.
Foreign presidents are beginning to arrive at the Santiago de Cali University Arena.
Former Colombian presidents Andrés Pastrana, Iván Duque, and Álvaro Uribe are among the guests at the ceremony.
- Swiss Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, among the guests at the official ceremony.
- This is what the main stage looks like where Abelardo de la Espriella will be sworn in as president of Colombia
Some guests continue arriving at the USC Arena. The entry of foreign presidents to the auditorium where the ceremony takes place is also expected.
The inauguration ceremony has already started, but it is currently on recess. Abelardo de la Espriella has not yet entered the USC Arena.
- “Farewell. Freedom and life. Always, always and always. Thank you for accompanying me, soldiers for taking care of me. I believe you come out better than when I entered. So long live free Colombia!”, said Petro, dressed in white and holding hands with his youngest daughter, Antonella, on the steps of the Casa de Nariño, before receiving a final military tribute at the Plaza de Armas.
- Gustavo Petro says goodbye to the Casa de Nariño in his last act as president of Colombia
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, left the Casa de Nariño for the last time this Friday, in a solemn act that ended his four-year term, to be succeeded by the far-right Abelardo de la Espriella.
- King Felipe VI and the president-elect of the Republic of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, during their meeting this Friday at the Cali Cultural Center, prior to the presidential inauguration ceremony | EFE/ Casa Real
- The president of Chile, José Antonio Kast (left), greets the president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, during a bilateral meeting this Friday in the city of Cali | Photo: EFE/ Presidency of Chile
- The president of Argentina, Javier Milei, appears in this photo alongside the president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, during a bilateral meeting this Friday in the city of Cali | Photo: EFE/ Office of President Milei /@OPRArgentina/
- President of the Dominican Republic arrives in Cali
The president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, arrived this Friday in Cali to participate in the inauguration ceremony of Abelardo de la Espriella as president of Colombia for the 2026-2030 term.
- De la Espriella arrives at the Cali Cultural Center for bilateral meetings
The president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, arrived this Friday at the Cali Cultural Center to hold bilateral relations with international delegations, prior to the inauguration in which he will assume the country’s leadership for a four-year term (2026-2030).
- President of Ecuador arrived in Cali
- The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, walks alongside his wife, Lavina Valbonesi, upon arrival in the city of Cali to attend the inauguration of the president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella | Photo: EFE / Cali City Hall
- FIFA president arrives in Cali for De la Espriella’s inauguration
Photo published on the official X account @FCFSeleccionCol of the Colombian Football Federation showing FIFA president Gianni Infantino (right) posing with the president of the Colombian Football Federation (FCF), Ramón Jesurún, upon arrival to attend the inauguration of the president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, this Friday in Cali
- King of Spain received with honors upon arrival in Cali for De la Espriella’s inauguration
King Felipe VI of Spain arrived this Friday in Cali, the main city in southwestern Colombia, to attend the inauguration of the president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, on August 7, with whom he will meet before the ceremony.
According to Caracol information, Abelardo de la Espriella’s speech will be at the Pichincha Battalion and not before Congress at the Santiago de Cali University.
- Infantino will not be able to attend due to logistical problems
The Colombian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, will not be present at the inauguration due to the change of city, which complicated the Italian’s logistics for his visit.
- Meeting with Felipe VI
Before the ceremony, the King of Spain, Felipe VI, will hold a meeting with Abelardo de la Espriella. The Spanish delegation will also include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares.
- Sheinbaum will be another absence
Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico, will be another absentee at Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration. The president stated that “someone from the government will go, we have not yet determined who will be there, but there will be some representation”.
- Bolivian president apologizes for absence
The president of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, regretted not attending the inauguration of Colombian president Abelardo de la Espriella: “I take this opportunity to greet the president-elect and apologize, a Bolivian delegation will be present tomorrow (Friday)”.
- Fear of possible attack
In an interview with FM, Pedro Sánchez, outgoing Colombian Defense Minister, indicated there is a latent threat of attacks at the inauguration ceremony: “Most likely these criminals would try to affect this democratic event with acts of terrorism”. This in the context of De la Espriella’s decision to hold this ceremony in Cali.
- President of Chile travels to Cali for Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration
The president of Chile, José Antonio Kast, is traveling to Colombia this Thursday to attend the presidential inauguration of Abelardo de la Espriella, which will take place tomorrow Friday in the city of Cali. According to the Chilean Presidency, Kast will hold a bilateral meeting with the president-elect of Colombia on Friday morning and then attend to journalists accompanied by his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francisco Pérez Mackena.
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- President of Honduras arrives in Cali
Photo provided by the Cali City Hall showing its mayor, Alejandro Eder (left), alongside the president of Honduras, Nasry Asfura, during his arrival this Thursday, to attend the inauguration of the president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella | Photo: EFE/ Cali City Hall
- Lula will not attend Abelardo De la Espriella’s inauguration in Cali
The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will not attend the swearing-in of the president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, and will send Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira as his representative, according to official sources reported to the EFE agency this Thursday.
- Leaders of Honduras, Guatemala, and Curacao arrive in Cali
The president of Honduras, Nasry Asfura; the prime minister of Curacao, Gilmar Pisas; and the vice president of Guatemala, Karin Herrera, arrived this Thursday in Cali to attend tomorrow the inauguration of the president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella.
A member of the Colombian National Police searches a person on the Pan-American highway this Thursday, in Cali, venue of the inauguration ceremony of President Abelardo de la Espriella | Photo: EFE/ Mauricio Dueñas Castañeda
- Maximum security in Cali
Members of the Colombian National Army patrol the Pan-American highway this Thursday, in the Colombian city of Cali | Photo: EFE/ Mauricio Dueñas Castañeda
El Salvador will be represented by Vice President Félix Ulloa, while Guatemala’s delegate will be Vice President Karin Herrera, and also present will be the Prime Minister of Curacao, Gilmar Pisa, representing the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the foreign ministers of Brazil, Mauro Vieira, and Israel, Gideon Saar, and a large delegation from the United States led by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
- Which international guests will be present at the ceremony?
Friday’s ceremony will be attended by King Felipe VI of Spain, and the presidents of Argentina, Javier Milei; Ecuador, Daniel Noboa; Paraguay, Santiago Peña; Costa Rica, Laura Fernández; Panama, José Raúl Mulino; Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader; Chile, José Antonio Kast; and Honduras, Nasry Asfura.
This opposition political group called for peaceful protests in Bogotá, Barranquilla, and Cali.
Congress members of the Historic Pact, the left-wing party to which outgoing president Gustavo Petro belongs, will not attend Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration ceremony.
He also highlighted that his government project “is built from the regions, because when the regions prosper, Colombia prospers”.
My inauguration will be much more than a ceremony. It will be the first demonstration that decentralization stops being a discourse and becomes a reality.
— Abelardo De La Espriella (@ABDELAESPRIELLA) August 5, 2026
The Miracle Homeland is built from the regions, because when the regions prosper, Colombia prospers.
The… pic.twitter.com/ZNpcZVzUqh
On his ‘X’ account, De la Espriella stated that his inauguration “will be much more than a ceremony.” “It will be the first demonstration that decentralization stops being a discourse and becomes a reality.”
- The inauguration ceremony of President Abelardo de la Espriella will be held at the Santiago de Cali University Arena | Photo: EFE/ STR
De la Espriella will succeed President Gustavo Petro, who does not recognize his victory and promises to lead the opposition and “civil disobedience” against the right-wing lawyer’s government.
At the official ceremony, which will take place at 3 pm (local time), presidents and heads of government from different countries will attend, as well as authorities such as King Felipe VI of Spain.
The president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, will assume office this Friday, August 7, in the city of Cali, for the 2026-2030 term in a ceremony that will be held for the first time outside Bogotá, the capital of the South American country.
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