The new president of the Colombians took office before the plenary of the congress. However, the presidential inauguration was tarnished by different issues

Last Tuesday, August 7, Iván Duque took office as president of Colombia. The ceremony was held in the Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá and was attended by Latin American leaders and delegations from international governments. The ceremony, as is tradition, was held before the plenary session of the congress, but it was tarnished by natural events and of a political nature.

Leer en español: Iván Duque tomó posesión como presidente de Colombia

In total, 10 presidents attended the ceremony, and 17 delegations of international governments that made acts of presence at the presidential inauguration. But the events that most attracted attention last August 7 were the speeches of the president of the congress, Ernesto Macías, of the elected president Iván Duque and of the natural events that altered the ceremony.

The bad

The president of the congress, Ernesto Macías, in his speech of welcome to the new president, although he assured him the disposition of the legislature to carry out his presidency, was strongly criticized by the assistants, by means of communication and by the citizens in social networks. Although the differences between the Centro Democrático party and the now former president Juan Manuel Santos are not new, for political analysts like Felipe Gomez of the Universidad Externado de Colombia, this was not the right time to make this speech.

La Silla Vacía portal took part of the points listed by Macías and said that many of the points that the senator mentioned are wrong and increased the critical figures. Congressmen who were against Macías' speech, withdrew from the event raising a voice of protest.

You can also read: Environmental balance of Santos administration: The good and the bad 

On the other hand, the weather was not favorable during the ceremony either; although on the morning of August 7, the city of Bogotá dawned bright and sunny, as the hours go by the skies of the Colombian capital turned gray and warned of possible rains. Finally, the ceremony had strong winds, as well as sporadic rains. The winds knocked down part of the flags that adorned the national capitol, as well as knocked down part of the stage.

Senator Carlos Antonio Lozada of the FARC party denounced on his Twitter account that he was not allowed access to the Plaza de Bolívar, considering that the presidential inauguration ceremony is a legislative plenary in which all they make presence.

The good

The cultural manifestations were present in the day and enlivened the possession of the new president. Meanwhile, Iván Duque announced in his speech the opportunity for a change for Colombia.

"I invite all of us to build a great pact for Colombia, to build a country, to build a future, and that above the differences are the things that unite us," said Duque in his first speech as president of the Colombians.

The controversy

Noticias Uno released a video in which the members of the Centro Democrático party are talking after the presidential inauguration ceremony, in which the controversy arose because the negative speech of Ernesto Macías was applauded by them. Also, in the video it can be seen how they mocked of those present, like the Bolivian leader, Evo Morales. The video also talks negatively about the anti-corruption consultation, of which the president is also a promoter. Congresswoman Angélica Lozano and former Senator Claudia López were also part of the jokes made by members of the Uribista party.

LatinAmerican Post | Carlos Eduardo Gómez Avella

Translated from "Iván Duque tomó posesión como presidente de Colombia"