Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as president of Colombia on Friday, promising all-out war against the cartels. The United States subsequently announced a $1 billion security package to support his agenda.
The new Colombian president chose Cali, not Bogotá, to be sworn in, a symbolic gesture from a man who presents himself as an outsider well-versed in the ways of traditional politics. A criminal lawyer and millionaire businessman, Abelardo de la Espriella addressed soldiers at a military base in his first official speech, promising to crush armed groups "by reason or by force."
“There will not be a single place on our territory where criminals can feel safe,” he declared, referring to himself by his self-described nickname, “El Tigre.” He announced the abandonment of his predecessor Gustavo Petro’s so-called “total peace” strategy, which relied on negotiating with guerrillas and encouraging farmers to stop cultivating coca.
Washington was quick to respond. The US State Department announced a $1 billion security package, or approximately £740 million, to help Bogotá achieve "common goals": combating organized crime and illegal immigration. Donald Trump had expressed his support for de la Espriella even before the June election, predicting a "much better relationship" with Colombia.
Among his first acts, the new president announced Colombia's accession to the "Shield of the Americas," the security partnership founded by Trump. The State Department welcomed this decision, citing a "pro-growth agenda" that paves the way for strengthened trade ties between the two countries.
De la Espriella also promised a close military alliance with the United States and Israel, breaking with Petro, who had severed diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv because of the offensive in Gaza. He expressed admiration for Javier Milei, the libertarian president of Argentina, and his methods have been compared to those of Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and Daniel Noboa in Ecuador, two right-wing leaders who have led aggressive security operations against gangs.
His election is part of a broader rightward shift in Latin America, fueled by economic hardship and concerns about gang violence. With Keiko Fujimori's rise to power in Peru, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva finds himself with fewer progressive allies in the region.
De la Espriella's trajectory is unique: an American citizen since 2023 after living and working in Miami for many years, he built his career as a defense attorney representing paramilitaries involved in drug trafficking, before turning against that world once he entered politics. He announced his candidacy a month after the assassination of another conservative candidate and held his rallies behind bulletproof glass, often wearing a bulletproof vest.
Among the personalities present at his inauguration were US Attorney General Todd Blanche and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
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