Petro warned of an alleged criminal plot to declare a state of internal unrest after Abelardo de la Espriella's inauguration: "We know of tons of explosives in Cali."

Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly endorsed a proposal by Abelardo de la Espriella regarding subsidies for the elderly, stating that officials must "break several rules of law" to achieve it. De la Espriella, identified in reports as the incoming president, stated on August 2, 2026, that his administration would ensure the continuation of payments for the Colombia Mayor program from August to December despite facing a budget deficit.

In a separate development in southwestern Colombia, the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro, called on social movements and citizens to organize a "popular militia" for self-defense. The call followed a series of attacks directed against an indigenous leader and a well, with Petro citing the need to protect communities from what he termed the "narcotrafficking fascio."