Ekhbary News Agency | 2024-05-12
Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro has plunged his nation into a wide-ranging political debate, refusing to acknowledge the preliminary presidential election results. He explicitly accused Israel and the United States of intervening to favor right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, 47. These allegations surface amidst a deeply strained relationship between Petro and Tel Aviv, which culminated in the recent severance of diplomatic ties due to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Election Fraud Allegations Detailed
Preliminary results from the second round of elections, held on June 21, showed De la Espriella winning with 49.66% of votes against 48.7% for his rival, Iván Cepeda. The narrow margin, less than one percentage point, prompted the outgoing president to question the integrity of the electoral process. For what it's worth, Petro alleged on "X" that electronic ballot data had been manipulated, pointing to changes in the IP addresses of servers belonging to the National Registry responsible for managing elections. He claimed these alterations allowed for the rewriting of voting data in some centers, stating, "The only entity in the world capable of executing such a hack is the State of Israel."
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Context of Strained International Relations
Petro's accusations against Israel are not without precedent; relations severely deteriorated following the Gaza war, with Petro describing events as "genocide" and calling for an "international army to liberate Palestine." Conversely, President-elect De la Espriella has pledged to restore diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv and move the embassy to Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly congratulated De la Espriella, anticipating strengthened relations. Petro's accusations also extended to the United States and President Donald Trump, who openly supported De la Espriella and congratulated him on his victory, prompting Petro to question Washington's neutrality. However, Attorney General Gregorio Eliach affirmed no evidence of electoral fraud exists after more than 99% of votes were counted.
