President-elect of Colombia accuses Petro of wanting to carry out a 'coup d'état' and asks the Army to disobey government orders

Abelardo De La Espriella
Charlie Cordero/Reuters
The elected president of Colombia, the right-wing Abelardo de la Espriella, stated this Tuesday (7) that the current president, Gustavo Petro, wants to carry out a "coup d'état" and called on the Armed Forces to protect democracy and disobey any orders in this regard.
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Petro has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of De la Espriella's election and called for demonstrations for July 20, the date on which he announced that he will give his farewell speech from office.
"Petro and Cepeda have started their Plan B to remain in power at all costs. And they want to do this through a coup d'état... as elected president, I ask the Armed Forces of the Republic of Colombia to fulfill their oath, protect the Constitution and democracy and not obey any orders that Petro may decide otherwise", he declared in a video message posted on his social networks.
Petro had not commented on Espriella's accusation until the last update of this report. Earlier, the Colombian president stated, without providing evidence, that they were threatening to arrest him and called for "unity of the people against an illegitimate government".
The process of transition of power, which will be finalized with Espriella's inauguration scheduled for August 7, takes place amid tensions between the elected president, supported by US President Donald Trump, and Petro, whose leftist candidate, Iván Cepeda, lost the second round in a close vote in June.
More Earlier this Tuesday (7), Espriella said that he suspended the transition of power with the Petro government because he stated that the current president refuses to accept the results of the elections. Read more below.
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Transition of power suspended
Abelardo de la Espriella ordered this Tuesday (7) that his team "immediately" interrupt the transition process with the government of Gustavo Petro.
The process of transferring power for the inauguration on August 7th occurs amid tensions between the left-wing president, who leaves office, and his far-right successor. Petro refuses to recognize the result of the June second round, while De la Espriella accuses the current government of corruption.
De la Espriella, who won the June second round by a narrow margin against the government candidate Iván Cepeda, gave "instructions" to his team "to immediately suspend the transition process with the corrupt government that ends its mandate", as published on the social network targeted" during the Petro government.
Senator Cepeda recognized the result of the election, but declared himself in "civil disobedience" before the new government.
International observers and electoral authorities ruled out any type of fraud or manipulation in the election.
"My duty is to protect the interests of the nation and guarantee a serious, transparent transition in the service of Colombians, never legitimizing the disaster or disrespect for the constitutional order", stated De la Espriella.
Without giving further details, the The president-elect announced that he will explain throughout the day "the reasons for this decision".
A lawyer with no previous political experience, De la Espriella promises to stimulate private investment, reduce the size of the State by 40% and toughen the fight against guerrillas and drug trafficking cartels, in the midst of the country's worst crisis of violence in the last decade and after Petro's failed attempts to negotiate peace with armed groups.
The president-elect has already announced the names of his future ministers of the Interior, Finance, Environment and Defense.

Source: G1