Catholic Church in Colombia calls for respecting presidential election results

With Abelardo de la Espriellaʼs very narrow victory and outgoing President Gustavo Petros’ refusal to accept that result, alleging fraud, the Colombian bishops urged citizens to respect the outcome.

The Colombian Bishops’ Conference called for the will of the people expressed in the results of the June 21 presidential elections, which saw Abelardo de la Espriella emerge as the winner, to be respected and accepted as a sign of peace for the country.

In the final message of their 121st plenary assembly, the bishops noted the “robust and peaceful participation of the Colombian people” in the elections, describing it as a “clear sign of democratic maturity and of appreciation and respect for institutions.”

“We regard respect for and acceptance of the will of the Colombian people, as expressed in the election results, as conditions and signs of peace,” they stated in their message, published on July 9.

The bishops lamented that, following the elections, confrontation and division continue to be fueled by violent words and attitudes.

After calling for a “culture of encounter,” the bishops’ conference urged government leaders to assume “their constitutional responsibility to safeguard and foster unity, the pursuit of the common good in truth and justice, and a national project that includes us all without disregarding what has been built and received as both a legacy and a task.”

The bishops’ call comes amid the political conflict sparked by President Gustavo Petroʼs decision on July 6 to reject the runoff election results, citing cyber fraud and claiming that the true winner was his candidate, Iván Cepeda.

On June 25, the National Electoral Council declared de la Espriella the winner of the presidential runoff election.

De la Espriella responded by suspending his team’s participation in the official transition process, that is, the handover of information between the outgoing government and the one set to take over the leadership of Colombia on Aug. 7.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.