De La Espriella accuses rivals of election 'assassination' plot ahead of Colombia runoff
Key Takeaways
- De la Espriella alleged that Ivan Cepeda was plotting a "self-inflicted attack" ahead of the runoff election.
- He also accused political rivals of planning vote-buying operations and urged US scrutiny of alleged corruption.
- The accusations come amid growing concerns about political violence in Colombia ahead of the June 21 presidential runoff.
Presidential frontrunner claims opponents are preparing staged attacks and vote-buying operations
Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has intensified his attacks on political rivals ahead of the June 21 runoff, accusing opponent Ivan Cepeda of planning a staged attack and alleging that President Gustavo Petro is unwilling to leave office.
Speaking on Monday, De la Espriella said he had received information from multiple sources suggesting Cepeda was preparing a self-inflicted attack as his campaign struggled ahead of the second round.
"Since last week, and through at least three high-level sources, we received information that Cepeda was plotting to stage a self-inflicted attack in the midst of his desperation over imminent defeat," De la Espriella said.
He claimed the alleged plan was designed to shift blame if violence were directed against him.
"What is Cepeda trying to do? Clear the path for the criminals who support him to execute their plans to assassinate me, and if they fail, blame me using that self-inflicted attack theory," he added.
Neither De la Espriella nor Cepeda presented public evidence to support their accusations. Cepeda had previously accused De la Espriella of preparing a staged attack before his rival responded with the same claim.
The exchange has added to concerns over political violence during Colombia's election campaign. Conservative senator and presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay died in August 2025, two months after he was shot during a campaign event in Bogota.
De la Espriella also accused political figures of planning to buy votes and called on US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau to examine more than 20 individuals he named.
"There is an alliance with the same old corrupt politicians to buy votes," he alleged. "I remind them that the United States government is already monitoring visa revocations. They have their eyes on the corrupt."
The candidate also directed criticism at President Petro, claiming the president was refusing to accept the election outcome.
"Take note, my dear Undersecretary. Petro does not want to leave. Petro is acting irrationally. Have you already seen how he has been acting lately?" De la Espriella said.
"We saw it during this intense weekend in which he posted on social media without restraint. As I was telling you, the heir's campaign has lost momentum. That is why Petro is acting this way. That is why Cepeda is taking these erratic turns," he added.
De la Espriella secured 43.7 per cent of the vote in the first round on May 31, ahead of Cepeda's 40.9 per cent, forcing a runoff after neither candidate crossed the 50 per cent threshold.
Petro and Cepeda initially questioned the preliminary results, although Cepeda later accepted the outcome after his campaign failed to provide evidence that would overturn the count. International election observers said they found no irregularities that would undermine the vote.
The runoff election between De la Espriella and Cepeda is scheduled for June 21.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
