President of the Kolombya Supreme Court of Appeals Criticizes Cepeda's Call for Civil Disobedience

The President of the Kolombya High Council of the Judiciary, Mauricio Lenis, made significant statements regarding former presidential candidate Iván Cepeda's call for civil disobedience. In his statement to the media, Lenis stated that there are no conditions that justify Cepeda's call. The President of the Supreme Court of Appeals emphasized that while civil disobedience could be used as a tool to ensure constitutional order, there is currently no constitutional violation or illegal situation observed that would trigger such an action. He also added that Cepeda needs to clearly explain to the public what this call means in practice and what concrete steps it entails.

Iván Cepeda's call came after Abelardo de la Espriella won the presidential election. Cepeda had announced that they accepted the election results but did not recognize De la Espriella as a legitimate president. The opposition leader argues that their stance is not a personal whim or revenge, but aimed at protecting the country's interests. Cepeda is questioning the legality of the new government and demanding that three basic conditions be met. These conditions include whether De la Espriella's oath as a US citizen will affect Kolombiya's decisions, whether he has ties to foreign intelligence organizations, and whether it will occur after the current President Gustavo Petro hands over power.

Cepeda stated that if these conditions are not met by 7 Ağustos, when the new president takes office, they will resort to peaceful civil disobedience. The former presidential candidate stated that if the requested conditions are not met, the opposition will decide not to recognize the new president under his leadership. He noted that the political and social consequences arising from this decision will be evaluated depending on the situation. While Cepeda's outburst caused political tension to rise in the country, it also created concerns about overstepping the legal and institutional framework.

The statements of the high court president show that Kolombiya's highest judicial body is trying to draw a line by intervening in this political crisis. Lenis's statements highlighted the legal perspective that civil disobedience should only be considered for highly exceptional situations where the constitution is violated. The Judiciary clearly revealed that it currently finds Cepeda's call unwarranted and lacking legal basis. This situation shows that the opposition's demands are evaluated not on a legal ground, but entirely as a political manifesto. The court president leaving the issue entirely to Cepeda's initiative signals that the crisis could escalate further in the coming days.

Following these developments, various political actors also reacted to Cepeda's call, urging the preservation of the institutional order. Senate President Lidio García strongly condemned the call for civil disobedience, emphasizing that the opposition must remain within constitutional limits. García stated that they are against any attempt to undermine the authority of a president legitimately elected by the people. On the other hand, president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella strongly condemned the call in harsh language, describing it as an act that directly praises violence and terrorism. This polarization in Kolombiya politics continues to place serious pressure on the country's political stability up until the handover ceremony on 7 Ağustos.