Find out more about the incident involving Bolivars sword during

Find out more about the incident involving Bolívar’s sword during Petro’s inauguration

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Colombia’s President-elect Gustavo Petro was forced to postpone his inauguration ceremony after outgoing President Iván Duque refused to allow the Bolívar sword to be moved from the Casa de Nariño to the Plaza de Bolívar.

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Previously, Petro had asked the outgoing government, through those responsible for the transfer of command, to allow the emblematic weapon to be moved to the place where the act of transfer of power would take place, a request to which initially no objection was raised. .

In fact, special conditions were created, such as making a special urn for transportation; Added to this was the preparation to mobilize a group of soldiers from the Presidential Guard Battalion, who would wear the “Papagayo” uniform to commemorate that worn by the Liberator Simón Bolívar’s Honor Guard.

Apart from that, the Department of State provided a magnificent table made of precious woods, which is part of the historical furniture of the San Carlos Palace, to place the Bolivar sword in a place of honor during the ceremony, right next to the presidential podium.

However, this past Friday, August 5, Duque began using arguments as obstacles, beginning with the question of whether the sword, as a historical relic, was safe rather than on display during the ceremony.

They added that it is in custody and on loan to the Administration Department of the Presidency, DAPRE, and in its state of historical heritage is in charge of the Ministry of Culture; Unit that should be insured against all risks to respond for the integrity of the relic.

Those obstacles were quickly addressed by even state insurer La Previsora ​​on Friday; and with a level of security at the investiture ceremony commensurate with its size, and with undercover agents, snipers, special forces, in addition to the Presidential Guard Battalion and departments of the Navy, Air Force, Police and Army; another one was added.

Outgoing President Duque ruled that the Bolivar sword would not be removed from the House of Nariño because he was simply the acting President until 3:00 p.m. local time.

Before Petro avoided that, “I, as President of Colombia, ask the Military House to bring the sword of Bolívar. It is an order of the People’s Mandate and this President”; in his capacity as sworn president and thus supreme commander of the armed forces.

Petro pointed out that the sword held a very high significance for him and the Colombian people and, to paraphrase the liberator, he demanded that it never be jailed again and only be sheathed once real social justice has been achieved in the country reigns; and that’s why he wanted to share it with Colombians.

Questionable position of King Felipe VI. from Spain

During the investiture ceremony and when the members of the Military House and the stewards of Simón Bolívar’s sword were offered to King Felipe VI. of Spain passed, he remained seated and did not rise to pay homage to the relic, which was seen as a disrespectful gesture during the protocol ceremony.

This gesture by the Spanish monarch has been the subject of various criticisms on social networks, since he was the only one of the foreign leaders present to remain seated before passing the weapon used against the Spanish troops during the struggle for independence in the Bolivarian countries , and is now considered a symbol of anti-colonial and Latin American unity.

This disrespectful attitude has made some researchers and political scientists recall the friction his father, Juan Carlos I of Spain, had with Latin American leaders like Venezuelan Hugo Chávez.