Colombia’s Petro repeats vote fraud claims days before handing over power

Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro has reiterated his claims of vote fraud in the June presidential election, just days before he is set to hand over power. Petro alleges that programmers altered thousands of tally sheets and that metadata related to election results was withheld from review, calling the election "obscure" and manipulated by foreign powers. These allegations have been rejected by Colombia's electoral authorities and international observers, who certified the victory of his right-wing successor, Abelardo de la Espriella. De la Espriella is scheduled to be sworn in on Friday. Petro, who is constitutionally barred from a second term, has stated he believes an illegitimate president will be inaugurated, potentially weakening his successor's standing and increasing political polarization.

Colombia's outgoing President Gustavo Petro has reiterated claims of fraud in the nation's June election, which his party narrowly lost to conservative leader Abelardo de la Espriella. Petro alleges that vote counts were manipulated by programmers after transmission to the national registrar's office. These accusations have been dismissed by international observers and Colombian electoral authorities, who have certified de la Espriella's victory. Despite the certification, Petro refuses to acknowledge the results and has accused electoral authorities of running an "obscure" election. Analysts suggest Petro's claims could undermine de la Espriella's legitimacy and further polarize the country. Petro also urged rural residents to form "liberation guards" to resist military detachments he claims are allied with mafia groups.