De la Espriella sworn in as Colombia president

Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as Colombia's president on August 7, 2026, in a ceremony held in Cali rather than Bogota, signaling a hard-line approach to armed groups. He defeated Gustavo Petro's ally Iván Cepeda in a June runoff. In his inaugural speech, he pledged to 'relentlessly defeat narco-terrorism', end peace talks with armed groups, eradicate coca crops, and pursue austerity measures to restore economic confidence. He announced Colombia will join the US-backed 'Shield of the Americas' anti-cartel alliance, restore diplomatic ties with Israel, and sever ties with Cuba and Nicaragua. The United States — United States Department of State announced a $1 billion security assistance package pending Congress approval. Outgoing president Gustavo Petro, who did not attend, called for protests and alleged election fraud without evidence. Protests occurred in Cali, Bogota, and Barranquilla. De la Espriella's victory is part of a rightward shift in Latin America, with leaders like Javier Milei and José Antonio Kast attending. He has pledged to expand oil and gas exploration, including fracking, and strengthen state-run Ecopetrol. His cabinet includes former finance minister José Manuel Restrepo Vélez as vice president and Miguel Gómez as finance minister, who stated the fiscal deficit is 7-8% of GDP.