Paloma Valencia Left Out of De la Espriella’s Colombia Inauguration

Paloma Valencia’s absence from President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration continues to fuel debate in Colombia. It was revealed yesterday that Valencia is also not included on the guest list for Friday’s inauguration ceremony in Cali.

The development has opened a new chapter of tensions within Colombia’s right wing and confirms the difficult moment in relations between the president-elect and the main party in his governing coalition.

The former senator and former presidential candidate for the Democratic Center party publicly confirmed that she did not receive an invitation to attend the ceremony, a decision that has raised questions given that she is one of the leading figures of Uribismo and was one of the main contenders in this year’s presidential race.

The exclusion is particularly significant because, after the first round of the presidential election, Valencia endorsed De la Espriella’s candidacy against the ruling party’s candidate, Ivan Cepeda. Although the two shared positions on several security and economic issues, the campaign was also marked by sharp disagreements and a rivalry that left political scars. That is compounded by factions within the party led by Alvaro Uribe that are pushing for a more centrist strategy to regain voters lost to the rise of De la Espriella and his newly launched party, Defenders of the Homeland.

Paloma Valencia left out of De la Espriella’s Colombia inauguration

Paloma Valencia herself confirmed that she will not attend the inauguration ceremony. Speaking to local outlet Blu Radio, the political leader said she never received an invitation to the official event and claimed she did not know the reasons behind the decision. Even so, she made clear that the episode does not change the Democratic Center’s institutional stance toward the incoming administration.

Valencia explained that her party will support initiatives it considers beneficial for the country, while preserving its political independence and maintaining its own long-term project. She also ruled out the possibility of the Democratic Center joining De la Espriella’s Cabinet, insisting that the party will retain its own identity within the new political landscape.

The former candidate’s absence did not go unnoticed because the relationship between the two leaders was shaped by an intense rivalry during the presidential campaign. According to various political analyses, a significant part of De la Espriella’s electoral strategy focused on overtaking Paloma Valencia among right-wing voters before facing the left-wing candidate in the runoff election. That competition led to public confrontations and disagreements that never fully disappeared.

Although Valencia ultimately endorsed the president-elect after being eliminated from the race, the lack of an invitation has been interpreted by various political sectors as a sign that reconciliation between the two never fully materialized. The decision has also reignited debate over the leadership of Colombia’s right wing and the role the Democratic Center will play during the new administration.

Nos diferencia la historia y los resultados. 🥰 💛💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/1skdB9Rk9S

— Paloma Valencia L (@PalomaValenciaL) August 4, 2026

Valencia and the “new” Democratic Center

Another equally important factor is that Valencia leads the faction—which also appears to have Uribe’s backing—that seeks to redirect the party’s strategy by targeting the center-right in an effort to recover votes lost among the traditional supporters of what had until now been Colombia’s largest right-wing party.

Despite internal resistance from those who argue the party should continue appealing to the most conservative and traditional right, Valencia—as she did during her unsuccessful presidential campaign in May—has advocated moving away from more hardline positions and appealing to a broader electorate closer to the political center. She recognizes De la Espriella’s ability—especially now that he has launched his own party in recent weeks—to attract right-wing voters who had supported Alvaro Uribe’s party for more than a decade.

Beyond these developments, tensions between the incoming administration and its main parliamentary ally were already evident on July 20, during the opening session of Congress, when competing candidates were put forward for the presidency of the legislative body without any agreement being reached.

At that point, the decisive votes of the left-wing opposition handed the presidency of the Senate—and therefore of Congress—to Democratic Center candidate Honorio Henríquez, defeating Alfredo Deluque, who was backed by De la Espriella.

An inauguration surrounded by symbolism

Paloma Valencia’s exclusion adds to other decisions that have sparked controversy surrounding the presidential inauguration. It also emerged that former Presidents Juan Manuel Santos and Ernesto Samper were not invited to the ceremony, while other former heads of state did receive invitations. That selection of guests has been interpreted as a political message from the president-elect about the sectors with which he intends to build his new administration.

Friday’s ceremony will also feature several unprecedented elements. It will be the first presidential inauguration in Colombia’s history to be held outside Bogotá, taking place instead in Cali—a decision that has triggered political debate, legal challenges, and a major security operation to ensure the event proceeds as planned.

In that context, Paloma Valencia’s absence has become one of the most talked-about political issues in the lead-up to the inauguration. Beyond the matter of protocol, the episode reflects the internal tensions that continue to exist within Colombia’s right-wing bloc and suggests that the relationship between the new administration and some of its former allies may be defined by a combination of legislative support, political competition, and disputes over leadership of that political sector in the years ahead.