COFormer President Ernesto Samper confirmed he was not invited to the inauguration ceremony of newly elected President Abelardo de la Espriella on August 7. According to reports by Semana, de la Espriella instructed the protocol office to exclude both Samper and former president Juan Manuel Santos from the event. The reasons cited include Samper’s alleged involvement in the 1994 'Proceso 8 mil' scandal involving drug money in his campaign and Santos’ criticism of the Peace Agreement. The ceremony, held at the University of Santiago de Cali, saw other ex-presidents like César Gaviria and Andrés Pastrana invited, while current president Gustavo Petro opted out. Former president Iván Duque, who has ties to the incoming administration, was also not invited, mirroring a similar exclusion during his own inauguration in 2022.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the exclusion of Samper and Santos as politically motivated, emphasizing their past controversies and ideological differences with the new administration. It highlights the influence of historical scandals and policy disagreements, which aligns with a left-leaning perspective that
