Colombian President Abelardo De la Espriella Apologizes for Religious Act at Inauguration Following Court Order

President Abelardo De la Espriella offered public apologies on Sunday, August 30, for the inclusion of a religious ceremony during his inauguration on August 7. The apology follows a ruling by the Fifth Labor Court of the Bogotá Circuit, which determined that the act violated the state's principle of religious neutrality and its secular character. The court order resulted from a tutela action filed by citizen Omar Alberto Franco Becerra, who argued that the event infringed upon fundamental rights to freedom of conscience and worship.

During a televised address, De la Espriella stated that he offered excuses if the act caused discomfort or offended anyone. However, he defended his right to publicly profess his Catholic faith and attributed the organization of the ceremony to the Congressional leadership, noting that the "invocation" was a point on the approved agenda. The court's decision was based on several elements of the event, including the presence of religious leaders from different faiths, the display of a statue of the Virgin of Fatima, the use of sacred music, and explicit expressions of faith during the presidential speech.

While the president affirmed his respect for the separation of Church and State and promised to guarantee religious liberties for all citizens, he concluded his speech with the phrases "Long live Christ the King" and "May God bless Colombia." The court had ordered the president and the president of Congress, Honorio Miguel Henríquez Pinedo, to apologize and commit to avoiding the promotion of religious practices in official events. One report noted that De la Espriella did not explicitly commit to the specific terms of the court's order during his speech.