Colombia president-elect accuses outgoing leader of 'coup' plotting

Colombia's hard-right president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, claimed on Tuesday that outgoing left-wing leader Gustavo Petro was planning a "coup" and ordered the military to "protect" the country's democracy.

US-backed De la Espriella gave no proof of his claim that his arch-nemesis Petro and Petro's ally, defeated presidential candidate Ivan Cepeda, were planning to subvert power, but tensions have been growing ahead of the August 7 inauguration.

"Petro and Cepeda have initiated their Plan B to remain in power at all costs. And they want to do it through a coup d'etat," the president-elect declared after halting cooperation with Petro's administration on the transition process.

De la Espriella, a millionaire lawyer, squeaked past Cepeda in last month's presidential run-off, with vocal support from US President Donald Trump, to end the tenure of Colombia's first ever left-wing government.

Petro refused to recognize the results of the June runoff, despite international observers and electoral authorities giving the vote a clean bill of health.

Cepeda, by contrast, did accept defeat.

De la Espriella accuses the current government of corruption.

He claimed Tuesday that a "thorough audit" of Petro's administration had revealed problems in the fight against drug trafficking, the awarding of state contracts and the healthcare system.

He instructed his team to "immediately suspend the transition process with the corrupt government whose term is ending."

Petro has called for anti-De la Espriella protests on July 20, the date on which he says he will deliver his farewell address to the nation.

De la Espriella's supporters fear large-scale protests like those spurred by Petro against his right-wing predecessor Ivan Duque that left dozens dead between 2019 and 2021.

De la Espriella has described himself as a "staunch enemy" of the left and vowed to bring Petro, who frequently crossed swords with Trump during his tenure, and his allies before US courts.

"He knows I will make him pay for all his crimes within the framework of the law, and that's why he's panicked and terrified," he said, referring to Petro.

He did not provide proof of wrongdoing by Petro.

De la Espriella campaigned as an iron-fisted outsider who will break off peace negotiations with left-wing guerrillas and drug cartels and crush them militarily instead.

On the economic front, he is a libertarian in the mold of Argentine President Javier Milei.

He has promised to boost private investment and slash the size of the state by 40 percent.

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© Agence France-Presse