The United States government intends to provide $1 billion in security assistance to Colombia following the inauguration of the country’s new right-wing president, Abelardo de la Espriella. The U.S. State Department announced Friday that the assistance package, developed in coordination with Congress, serves as a cornerstone of a renewed partnership to support the new administration in achieving shared goals.
US Pledges $1 Billion in Security Aid to Colombia
President de la Espriella, a 48-year-old millionaire lawyer and dual citizen of the U.S. and Colombia, took office Friday for a four-year term. His victory, won by a margin of less than one percentage point in June’s runoff election, ended four years of government under Gustavo Petro, the first leftist president in the nation’s history.
Crackdown on Narco-Terrorism and Armed Groups
During a 75-minute inaugural speech delivered at the Pichincha Battalion military base in Cali, de la Espriella pledged a vigorous fight against drug trafficking and vowed to relentlessly defeat narco-terrorism. He told assembled troops that the option for peace talks with armed groups had been completely exhausted,
explicitly rejecting the dialogue-based approach of the Petro administration.
The new president issued a directive to members of narco-terrorist groups and criminal gangs, stating they must either submit to the rule of law or face the determined response of Colombian security forces. To achieve these goals, de la Espriella proposed several aggressive measures:
- Aerial Herbicide Use: The use of aerial herbicides that do not harm the environment or human health to definitively eradicate coca crops.
- Military Infrastructure: The construction of “mega-prisons” and the bombing of cocaine laboratories located in the jungle.
- International Alliances: The formation of a military alliance with Israel and the United States to aid the war on guerrillas.
De la Espriella has also offered to host U.S. troops on Colombian soil and stated that his first priority is for Colombia to join the Shield of the Americas, a regional anti-cartel alliance founded by Donald Trump.
Economic Reforms and State Reduction
Beyond security, de la Espriella’s platform focuses on a profound transformation
of the country’s destiny through austerity and economic shifts. He has pledged to restore confidence in the economy by reviving the oil and gas sector and lowering taxes for the wealthy.
In a significant move to shrink the state, the president proposed reducing the size of the government by as much as 40%. These domestic goals are part of a broader rightward shift seen across Latin America in nations including Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Panama, where rising crime and weak economies have increased support for hard-right candidates.
Political Challenges and Inauguration
The inauguration broke with tradition by taking place in the city of Cali rather than at Congress in Bogota. Due to recent guerrilla attacks in Cali, the event was secured by an anti-drone system and 11,000 troops.
The event was attended by a U.S. delegation led by acting attorney general Todd Blanche, as well as Argentina’s President Javier Milei and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Former president Gustavo Petro declined to attend, leaving the presidential residence with a message of farewell, freedom and life.
Petro has not recognized de la Espriella’s victory and has been blamed by the new president for the expansion of armed groups.
Despite his endorsement from Donald Trump, de la Espriella faces a divided Congress where he lacks a majority. Analysts suggest many of his proposals may be watered down during negotiations. Meanwhile, leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda, a Petro ally who narrowly lost the runoff, led a march in Barranquilla on Friday calling for peaceful civil disobedience to defend democracy.
The “Plan Colombia II” Framework
De la Espriella has referred to his strategy as Plan Colombia II,
a reference to the multimillion-dollar agreement between Washington and Bogota in the 2000s. While the original plan was credited with weakening key combat groups, it was also associated with allegations of serious human rights abuses.
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