De La Espriella suspends transition with Petro amid accusations of coup attempt

President-elect Abelardo De La Espriella suspended the transition process with the outgoing government of Gustavo Petro on July 7, 2026, accusing Petro and Senator Iván Cepeda of planning a coup to stay in power. De La Espriella called on the armed forces to defend the Constitution and democracy, while Petro denied the allegations and said he would continue the handover publicly.

What happened

• De La Espriella ordered Vice President-elect José Manuel Restrepo to halt all transition meetings, citing Petro's refusal to recognize his victory and alleging a plot to overturn the election Source: portafolioco.
• Petro responded by accusing De La Espriella of electoral fraud, claiming the election was won by Iván Cepeda through foreign interference. He announced that his government would present a nullity lawsuit against the election Source: lasillavacia.
• The outgoing government's coordination team also suspended its participation, citing a lack of reciprocal respect Source: infobae.

Reactions

• Gremios: The National Business Association (Andi) and the Sugarcane Growers Association (Asocaña) rejected doubts on the election's legitimacy and supported De La Espriella. Bruce Mac Master of Andi said Petro has been trying to impose a fraud narrative for months Source: portafolioco.
• Political sectors: The Pacto Histórico, Petro's coalition, announced it would file a legal challenge to nullify the election Source: lasillavacia.