Colombia’s president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, led the country’s Independence Day military parade on Monday in Medellín, the capital of the department of Antioquia, one of the regions where he received the strongest electoral support in the June 21 presidential election.
During the ceremony, De la Espriella highlighted the role of Antioquia in his victory, telling attendees that “Antioquia resisted and Colombia was saved” during the election.
“Today we celebrate the cry for independence in a land that is the most patriotic in Colombia and that delivered the definitive cry of independence on June 21,” he said.
The president-elect was joined by Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez and Antioquia Governor Andrés Julián Rendón.
De la Espriella thanked voters in Antioquia, where he won 64.42% of the vote and carried 108 of the department’s 125 municipalities.
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“Colombia cannot thank enough this brave, hardworking people, this nation of patriots that chose to defeat tyranny in defense of democracy, freedom and our institutions,” he said.
According to Medellín’s city government, more than 5,000 members of the Colombian Armed Forces, National Police and emergency response agencies participated in the parade commemorating the country’s 216th Independence Day.
The event in Medellín took place at the same time as the traditional military parade in Bogotá, led by outgoing President Gustavo Petro, who presided over the national celebration for the last time before the inauguration of De la Espriella on Aug. 7.
