Iván Cepeda Threatens Peaceful Civil Disobedience Against Abelardo De La Espriella

In Colombia, left-wing senator Iván Cepeda said he will call for “peaceful civil disobedience” against the incoming government of Abelardo de la Espriella if the ultra-right lawyer known as El Tigre does not renounce his U.S. citizenship and meet conditions before taking office.

“El senador izquierdista Iván Cepeda llamará a la desobediencia civil pacífica contra el Gobierno entrante de Abelardo de la Espriella en caso de que el abogado ultraderechista, conocido como El Tigre, no renuncie a la nacionalidad estadounidense que obtuvo en febrero de 2023”

El Español

El Español reported that Cepeda tied the demand to a February 2023 U.S. naturalization and argued that De la Espriella “establece una obligación de lealtad exclusiva al orden constitucional de ese país” when there is a conflict with other constitutional orders.

El Español

El País said Cepeda warned this Tuesday that he would lead a “peaceful civil disobedience” if De la Espriella does not meet four conditions before taking office on August 7.

El País also reported that constitutional scholar Rodrigo Uprimny distanced himself from the threat, writing on X, “I disagree with this call to civil disobedience, which tensions an already very difficult political context,” while Cepeda framed the plan as non-violent opposition to the elected president’s authority.

El País described a debate in Bogotá over a video by Viviana Marín, political secretary of the Communist Youth, showing how a sector of the left is preparing to “make this country uninhabitable” for the elected president.

In the same coverage, El País quoted Alejandro Ocampo replying with irony to a user who predicted retaliation: “Don’t worry, I think Abelardo de la Espriella will do everything possible to erase him from politics and even put him in jail if you don’t accept him as boss.”

EL PAÍS

El Español said Cepeda demanded that De la Espriella clarify his relationship with U.S. security agencies, and it quoted Cepeda’s view that such a condition “pondría en tela de juicio su idoneidad para ser jefe de Estado colombiano”.

El Español also reported that Cepeda accused De la Espriella of responsibility for the detention by ICE of influencer Beto Coral, saying Coral “ostente hoy la condición de preso político en Estados Unidos” and using that claim to argue for opposition to the incoming administration.

El Español said Cepeda linked his call to civil disobedience to De la Espriella’s announcement that Colombia would join the “Escudo de las Américas,” a U.S.-driven military cooperation project that includes countries such as Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia or Chile.

“Iván Cepeda, the Colombian election defeated candidate, reaffirmed to Folha that he will resort to civil disobedience to oppose the elected president, Abelardo de la Espriella, due to what he regards as irregularities during the plebiscite, including the opponent's dual citizenship”

Folha de S.Paulo

El Español reported that Cepeda condemned the move as coming “sin haber consultado este asunto con el Congreso de la República ni con la Comisión Asesora de Relaciones Exteriores,” and it framed the issue as a sovereignty dispute tied to U.S. involvement in Colombia’s political life.

Folha de S.Paulo reported that Cepeda told the newspaper he will resort to civil disobedience because of what he regards as irregularities during the plebiscite, including the opponent’s dual citizenship, and it quoted Cepeda saying, “Espriella ya enfrenta serios obstáculos a ser un presidente que defiende nuestra soberanía nacional.”

Folha also reported that Cepeda said the strategy had been in the works and that he accused the U.S. government of “absolutely direct, brazen and shameless interference” in the election, while describing the margin as “almost 250,000 votes” between the far-rightist and his campaign.