Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro warned Tuesday that his political enemies seek to imprison him in the United States or assassinate him, calling for peaceful civil resistance against what he described as an illegitimate government following fraudulent elections.
The Colombian leader asserted that if his enemies succeed in capturing him and sending him to the United States or assassinating him, his voice “will be unforgettable in the world” and an Alliance for Life will be built from citizen resistance.
Petro drew parallels with Colombia’s violent history, warning that electoral fraud of the kind he alleges has previously plunged the country into civil wars, resulting in lost territory and sovereignty.
RELATED: Petro Calls July 20 Rally to Defend Colombia’s Reforms
“We will not fall into these traps. A civil resistance against an illegitimate government must always seek the unity of the people, their fundamental agreement that is the basis of the nation. Here we will not use weapons, but they will use them against us“, he warned.
“Here we will not threaten anyone, but they will threaten us, and they already threaten me -with capturing me and taking me to the United States or assassinating me”, he added.
Los que se retiran del empalme son los que no aguantan que se observe por toda la ciudadanía que no están preparados y que sus insultos públicos son calumnias.
Tal como indica la ley el proceso de entrega del gobierno continua ante el pueblo.
Se colocarán sillas vacías en…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) July 7, 2026
Text reads: “As indicated by the law, the process of handing over the government to the people continues. Empty chairs will be placed waiting for those who stole the elections to understand what it is to rule…”
A Call to the People
“The response is active resistance, and when the people decide, civil disobedience”, Petro wrote on his X social media account, warning that Colombia faces not just the imminence of fascism but “perhaps the greatest attack on global democracy since the era of Hitler.”
Petro also denounced that De la Espriella’s victory was engineered from abroad through electoral manipulation. “We are not inventing when we say that Abelardo’s Government was elected from outside, with non-existent votes in the percentage automatically adjusted by algorithms made by Israeli private companies with the endorsement of their genocidal government, and processed by the company that I myself publicly denounced”, Petro stated.
Claro que mis declaraciones son graves, Pero no irresponsables, están completamente probadas
Quien ganó las elecciones por voto popular fue Iván Cepeda, el triunfo de Abelardo se hizo con algoritmos desde California y los algoritmos los hicieron empresas de inteligencia privada… https://t.co/n2XSM2gAiP
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) July 7, 2026
Text reads: “Of course my statements are serious, but not irresponsible, they are completely proven. The winner of the popular election was Ivan Cepeda, Abelard’s triumph was done with algorithms from California and the algorithms were made by private intelligence companies from Israel…”
Transition in Rupture
Petro’s Government suspended its participation in joint transition sessions with the incoming administration on Monday, demanding “guarantees of reciprocal respect.” The President declared that the transition process will now continue before the citizenry rather than through institutional channels.
“The transition is before the people. It is a public handover of the government that ends on August 6 at midnight, because that was the mandate of the people, and I obey the people, no one else”, Petro wrote.
The suspension of the formal transition process marks a dramatic break in Colombia’s political continuity. De la Espriella, who represents the far-right opposition, has already secured control of key institutions including the courts and Congress, raising concerns about checks and balances under his administration.
The current Colombian President explicitly linked the electoral intervention to former U.S. President Donald Trump, suggesting a coordinated campaign by external powers to destabilize progressive governments in the region.
The coming weeks will be decisive. Petro is scheduled to deliver his final public address as president on July 20 in southwestern Bogotá, with his term concluding at midnight on August 6 and De la Espriella assuming power on August 7.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.