(Image: Democratic Center)

Colombia’s Congress denied control over the legislative agenda to President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella and voted for a president loyal to former President Alvaro Uribe.

De la Espriella proposed his friend, Senator Alfredo Deluque of the U Party, to assume the leadership of the Senate, which would have given the government control over the congressional agenda.

Ahead of the vote, eight parties expressed their support for Deluque’s candidacy, which would have given him a 55-vote majority in the anonymous vote.

Former President Alvaro Uribe, whose Democratic Center party would be granted the presidency, accused “Abelardo’s circle” of trying to “get rid of this party” and vowed to “defend ourselves.”

Uribe had put up Democratic Center Senator Honorio Henriquez for the job and ordered his 17 senators to stick to their original vote.

If the Tiger roars to destroy the Democratic Center, we’ll have to become hardworking bees and defend ourselves, just like bees do when they’re attacked… I’m frightened by the idea circulating among De La Espriella’s inner circle of destroying that party.

Former President Alvaro Uribe

The former president got the support of President Gustavo Petro, arguably Abelardo’s biggest political enemy.

At a rally that was held ahead of the vote, Petro warned senators of his leftist Historic Pact party “not to vote for fascism.”

Under the leadership of Senate bench leader Ivan Cepeda, who lost the presidential election to De la Espriella last month, all 26 of the pact’s senators voted for Henriquez.

Enjoying the secrecy of their vote, dissidents from the parties who were ordered to vote Deluque also turned on the president-elect and delivered Henrique 56 votes. Deluque ended up with only 45.

Less than three weeks before taking office, De la Espriella lost the loyalty of its largest coalition partner in Congress and will have to negotiate his agenda with them.