Colombia’s outgoing President, Gustavo Petro, has warned that the country could descend into civil war following what he described as widespread fraud in the recent presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Petro claimed that the June presidential runoff was tainted by “algorithmic, systemic electoral fraud” involving a massive number of votes, insisting the results were manipulated against his political ally, Ivan Cepeda.

SEE MORE: Osun Election: Gunmen Invade PVC Centre, Cart Away Voter Cards

“We are facing fraud and an undoubtedly profound institutional problem, namely the inauguration of an illegitimate president,” Petro said.

The outgoing leader alleged that “foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms” interfered in Colombia’s electoral process, accusing external actors of influencing the outcome of the election.

Petro’s remarks come just days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is due to be sworn into office on Friday in the southwestern city of Cali, a departure from the longstanding tradition of holding presidential inaugurations before Congress in the capital, Bogota.

The Colombian leader also claimed that De la Espriella, who received the endorsement of United States President Donald Trump before the election, plans to extradite him to the United States on what he described as false charges.

Warning of the potential consequences, Petro said, “It’s crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like,” arguing that public resistance to the incoming administration’s actions could trigger widespread unrest.

The political crisis has deepened further after the left-wing bloc in Congress, led by Cepeda, announced it would boycott De la Espriella’s inauguration and called for nationwide mobilization against the president-elect.

Observers have also raised concerns that Colombia could witness a return to violent street protests similar to those experienced between 2019 and 2021, which left dozens dead.

Despite having no prior political experience, De la Espriella has pledged to boost private investment, shrink the size of government by 40 percent, and intensify military operations against guerrilla groups and drug cartels as the country battles its worst surge in violence in a decade.

His inauguration is scheduled for Friday amid heightened political tensions and growing uncertainty over Colombia’s future.

At least 18 migrants have died while attempting to enter Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, following a large-scale rush by thousands of people trying to cross the border.

Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish city located on the northern coast of Africa, witnessed a surge in arrivals after migrants began making attempts to reach the territory, mainly by swimming from Morocco.

SEE ALSO: Spain’s World Cup Joy Turns to Horror as 13-Year-Old Dies in Celebration Disaster

A police source told AFP on Friday that authorities were unable to determine the exact number of people who successfully crossed into Ceuta after thousands gathered during the overnight attempt.

“There was a steady stream of people all night long,” the source said, adding that although the number of arrivals reduced compared with daytime movements, migrants “continued to arrive overnight and are still arriving” on Friday morning.

Reports of migrants heading towards Ceuta began emerging on Wednesday, with most of the attempts involving crossings by sea.

Footage from Thursday showed large crowds, mostly Moroccans, moving along the breakwaters at Tarajal Beach and into nearby roads. Among those attempting the crossing were young men, as well as families with women and children.

Rachid Sbihi, head of the local workers’ association representing Civil Guard officers, said most of the 18 fatalities were caused by drowning, while others died during a stampede as migrants attempted to force their way through the breakwater fence at Tarajal Beach.

The reason behind the sudden surge in attempted crossings remains unclear.

However, Spain’s Interior Ministry estimated that about 49,000 migrants entered Ceuta within a 24-hour period as they moved by both sea and land routes from Morocco.

In response to the situation, the Spanish government announced plans to deploy the military to support the Civil Guard in maintaining security in Ceuta.

Images released after the announcement showed Spanish soldiers patrolling areas around the Spanish-Moroccan border in the enclave alongside armoured vehicles.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is also expected to visit Ceuta alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to assess the situation.

Ceuta and another Spanish enclave, Melilla, have long been key entry points for migrants seeking access to Europe from Africa.

The Government of Ghana has commenced the final phase of evacuating its citizens from South Africa as deadly xenophobic attacks and anti-migrant unrest continue to escalate across the country.

According to Ghana’s Foreign Ministry, about 1,000 Ghanaian migrant workers are expected to return home on special flights scheduled for Sunday and Monday. The latest evacuation follows the successful

repatriation of 926 Ghanaians in recent days.
The ministry described the latest operation as the “final phase” of Ghana’s emergency evacuation programme for its nationals living in South Africa.

SEE ALSO: 282 Nigerians to Arrive in Lagos Today as FG Continues South Africa Evacuation

The move comes amid growing violence targeting foreign nationals, with reports indicating that more than 160,000 migrants have fled South Africa over the past two months as hostility against undocumented foreigners intensified.

Among those who have returned to their home countries are citizens of Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho and Uganda.

South African authorities have confirmed that at least four migrants have been killed during the unrest, although some affected countries claim the number of casualties among their citizens is higher.

The protests have been driven by vigilante groups accusing undocumented migrants of taking jobs and contributing to crime.

However, analysts argue that migrants are being unfairly blamed for South Africa’s broader economic and governance challenges, including high unemployment and poor service delivery.

Ghanaian President John Mahama has strongly condemned the attacks, calling on the African Union to place the issue of xenophobic violence on its agenda.

He also criticised the South African government, saying it has not done enough to protect foreign nationals.

In a further diplomatic response to the crisis, Ghana earlier postponed a planned visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The West African nation also joined Nigeria in urging the African Union to address what both countries described as “Afrophobia” at its next summit.

The ongoing evacuations highlight growing concerns among African governments over the safety of their citizens in South Africa as efforts continue to rescue those affected by the violence.