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Colombian President Gustavo Petro has designated Finance Minister Germán Ávila as coordinator of the government transition team with president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, marking the formal start of the handover process Source: La República. The move comes after Petro accepted the electoral results confirming De la Espriella's victory, despite his previous criticisms of the election.
Shortly after Ávila's appointment, AI-generated videos circulated on social media falsely depicting him admitting to being a guerrilla. The Presidency issued a strong rejection, stating that such montages "jeopardize people's lives" and calling for responsible information sharing Source: Infobae. The statement emphasized that "life must always be respected" and condemned the malicious use of AI.
Ávila's team has prepared a roadmap over the past six months to ensure a transparent handover. On the other side, De la Espriella appointed Vice President-elect José Manuel Restrepo to lead an "Empalme Anticorrupción" (Anti-Corruption Transition), promising a rigorous audit of public administration to uncover the true state of institutional deterioration Source: La República. The first meeting between both teams is expected in the coming days, with the new government set to assume power on August 7, 2026.
“El presidente saliente de Colombia, Gustavo Petro, designó al ministro de Hacienda, Germán Ávila, como coordinador del equipo de empalme del Gobierno Nacional, encargado de liderar la transición con el equipo del presidente electo, Abelardo de la Espriella.”
“La difusión de contenidos falsos alimenta la intimidación, la desinformación y pone en riesgo la vida de las personas.”
“De La Espriella, por su parte, designó al vicepresidente electo, José Manuel Restrepo, como director de lo que denominó como un Empalme Anticorrupción.”
““Orgullosamente, yo, yo orgullosamente fui guerrillero”, es la expresión que se le atribuyó al alto funcionario.”