Colombia’s new president takes office with hardline pledge on security and economy

Abelardo De La Espriella has been sworn in as Colombia’s president in Cali, breaking with the tradition of holding the inauguration ceremony at the congressional building in Bogotá.

The 48-year-old former lawyer and ally of US President Donald Trump won June’s runoff election on a platform focused on hardline security measures, significant cuts to state spending, and the expansion of national energy production.

During his inaugural speech at the Pichincha Battalion military base, De La Espriella declared that peace negotiations with armed groups are completely exhausted.

He stated that criminal syndicates must either submit to the rule of law or face a direct response from security forces. To combat drug trafficking, he announced plans to resume aerial spraying to eradicate coca crops and confirmed that Colombia will join the US-led Shield of the Americas programme.

On the economic front, De La Espriella pledged to freeze public spending and simplify the tax regime to stimulate private investment, while proposing to reduce the size of the state by up to 40%. He confirmed that established social programmes would remain intact.

To boost declining reserves, the new administration plans to expand oil and gas exploration, including the use of responsible fracking, alongside efforts to strengthen state-owned energy firm Ecopetrol.

De La Espriella’s inauguration reflects a wider political shift across Latin America. Incoming Finance Minister Miguel Gomez noted a fiscal deficit between 7% and 8% of GDP, indicating that initial governance will depend on executive decrees whilst navigating a divided congress.

Meanwhile, opposition figures led by Senator Ivan Cepeda organized peaceful demonstrations in Barranquilla, pledging to defend democratic institutions and monitor potential rollbacks of social protections.