US Gifts $1bn to Colombia on New Right-Wing President's Inauguration
The United States has pledged $1 billion in assistance to Colombia as its new right-wing president takes office, marking a major political shift.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The US pledged $1 billion in assistance to Colombia on the new president's inauguration day.
- President de la Espriella chose the volatile city of Cali for his oath to signal a tough stance on armed groups.
- Colombia will join Trump's Shield of the Americas security partnership.
- The new leader is a former lawyer and US citizen since 2023 with no prior public office experience.
The United States has pledged $1 billion in assistance to Colombia following the swearing-in ceremony of the country's new right-wing president on Friday. The inauguration marks a dramatic political shift to the right for Colombia, replacing left-wing former leader Gustavo Petro, who frequently clashed with Donald Trump.
Trump had endorsed de la Espriella during the election and stated that he anticipated a much better relationship with his new counterpart following his victory in June. A US delegation led by then-acting Attorney General Todd Blanche attended the inauguration alongside embattled Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
This financial backing and strengthening of ties highlight Donald Trump's broader strategy to expand US influence across South America by supporting ideologically aligned leaders, contrasting sharply with Washington's tense relations with left-wing governments in the region.
De la Espriella chose to take his oath of office not in the capital of Bogotá, but in the volatile western city of Cali, signalling a fierce approach against illegal armed groups operating in the region. In a fiery maiden speech addressed to troops at a nearby military base, he pledged to crush insurgents and defend democracy.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Declaring that in the age of the Tiger—his self-appointed nickname—the state would act decisively against crime, he vowed there would be no safe havens for criminals. Abandoning peace talks used by his predecessor, he promised a brutal crackdown, mega-prisons, and a robust military alliance with the US and Israel.
"There will not be a single place in our territory where criminals can feel safe"
de la Espriella
In one of his initial presidential acts, de la Espriella announced that Colombia would join the Shield of the Americas security partnership founded by Trump. The US State Department noted that shared goals also include halting illegal immigration through heightened border security coordination.
Before entering politics as an outsider with no prior public office experience, de la Espriella built a successful career as a lawyer representing drug-trafficking paramilitaries and has held US citizenship since 2023 after living in Miami.
Source: BBC World
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