Milan, 6 July (LaPresse) – Colombia’s outgoing left-wing president, Gustavo Petro, has announced that he will bring forward his end-of-term address to 20 July; he will therefore deliver it on the national holiday marking the country’s independence, rather than on the occasion of the inauguration of his far-right successor, Abelardo de la Espriella, scheduled for 7 August. Petro has also called on people across the country to take to the streets to demonstrate on that day. “I invite you on 20 July to stand alongside the security forces and, after their parade, to listen to my farewell address as Colombia’s head of state. We will not do this on either 6 or 7 August, as these are tragic dates. We will do so on 20 July in all of Colombia’s public squares,” Petro wrote on his X account, calling for a “day of general mobilisation to reclaim independence and uphold social reforms”. “We are mobilising first and foremost to defend the social reforms that the people have managed to secure,” he added, “20 July: the cry for independence of the free people for a free Colombia and for social reforms.” In the presidential elections at the end of June, the far-right candidate from La Espriella, backed by Donald Trump, narrowly defeated the candidate Iván Cepeda.
Colombia: Petro brings forward his farewell speech to 20 July, a national holiday
Milan, 6 July (LaPresse) – Colombia’s outgoing left-wing president, Gustavo Petro, has announced that he will bring forward his end-of-term address to 20 July; he will therefore deliver it on the national holiday marking the country’s independence, rather than on the occasion of the inauguration of his far-right successor, Abelardo de la Espriella, scheduled for 7 August. Petro has also called on people across the country to take to the streets to demonstrate on that day. “I invite you on 20 July to stand alongside the security forces and, after their parade, to listen to my farewell address as Colombia’s head of state. We will not do this on either 6 or 7 August, as these are tragic dates. We will do so on 20 July in all of Colombia’s public squares,” Petro wrote on his X account, calling for a “day of general mobilisation to reclaim independence and uphold social reforms”. “We are mobilising first and foremost to defend the social reforms that the people have managed to secure,” he added, “20 July: the cry for independence of the free people for a free Colombia and for social reforms.” In the presidential elections at the end of June, the far-right candidate from La Espriella, backed by Donald Trump, narrowly defeated the candidate Iván Cepeda.
