Colombia’s Senate approves Espriella’s inauguration in the south of the country

Espriella has been insisting on taking office – scheduled for August 7 – at a military unit in southern Colombia, to demonstrate support for the armed forces, but the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro, had prohibited this ceremony, claiming that the Colombian Constitution establishes that the presidential inauguration must take place before the Congress of the Republic, located in Bogotá.

This Wednesday, the Senate plenary approved, with 55 votes in favor and 32 against, a motion proposing the temporary transfer of the headquarters of Congress to the department of Cauca for the presidential inauguration session.

However, according to the EFE agency, it is still pending whether the inauguration will actually take place in a military garrison, which should be voted on in the Senate on Tuesday (28). The Chamber also needs to approve the transfer.

During this Wednesday’s debate, senator Germán Rodríguez, from the National Salvation Movement party (Espriella’s legend), stated that holding the presidential inauguration in a military garrison would mean “paying this honor, this tribute” to the military and “exalting the heroes of the country”.