Gustavo Petro alleges massive election fraud as Colombia prepares for presidential transition
Outgoing President Gustavo Petro has repeatedly claimed that Colombia’s June 2026 presidential election was subject to a large‑scale algorithmic fraud. He said the irregularities affected roughly seven million votes and involved the alteration of electronic tally sheets (E‑14 forms) after they were scanned, eliminating security hash codes. Petro declared the winner, right‑wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, illegitimate and asserted that the true victor was left‑wing candidate Iván Cepeda.
Petro called for calm ahead of the August 7 inauguration in Cali, urging protesters to remain peaceful. He also presented his official portrait for the Casa de Nariño, a painting by Luis Jaime Rojas that cost about 75 million Colombian pesos and sparked criticism for its expense and unconventional style.
The inauguration will be the first Colombian presidential ceremony held outside Bogotá, taking place at the USC arena in Cali. Former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez said he has received a direct invitation but has not yet decided whether to attend. Meanwhile, Petro’s administration has sought U.S. permission for Petro to travel to Princeton, New Jersey, to visit the site of Albert Einstein’s ashes before leaving office.
Entities: Abelardo De La Espriella · Cali, Colombia · Casa de Nariño · Gustavo Petro · Israel · Iván Cepeda · Luis Jaime Rojas · United States · Álvaro Uribe Vélez
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Petro claimed foreign actors, specifically Israel (and the United States in some statements), were involved in the alleged election fraud. (public allegation)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Petro warned that tens of tons of explosives were allegedly present in Cali. (public warning)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Gustavo Petro presented an official portrait of himself at the Casa de Nariño. (official presentation)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Petro claimed that during his term about 4.5 million people left poverty and roughly 2 million left extreme poverty. (farewell message)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Petro called for calm and peaceful protests ahead of the August 7 presidential inauguration in Cali. (public statement)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The portrait was painted by Luis Jaime Rojas (also referred to as Luis Jaime Rodríguez) and cost about 75 million Colombian pesos. (contract details)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Petro alleged that the June presidential election was subject to algorithmic fraud affecting roughly seven million votes. (public allegation)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Petro said the fraud affected 1,665 polling stations and altered about 1.8 million votes. (public allegation)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Petro sought U.S. permission to travel to Princeton, New Jersey, before leaving office. (administrative request)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The presidential inauguration of Abelardo de la Espriella is scheduled for August 7 in Cali, the first ceremony held outside Bogotá. (official schedule)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez said he has received a direct invitation to the inauguration but has not yet decided whether to attend. (interview)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Gustavo Petro alleged that the June 2026 presidential election was affected by algorithmic fraud involving about seven million votes. (Petro's press conferences and statements)