Right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella sworn in as new Colombian president: All you need to know about him
Abelardo de la Espriella took office as Colombia’s president on Friday, pledging a tough crackdown on crime and insurgency. The conservative leader, who succeeds leftist Gustavo Petro, also secured a $1 billion US financial package to support his administration’s crime-fighting efforts.
Abelardo de la Espriella became Colombia's president on Friday, taking office amidst concerns over the country's financial stability and rising violence. He inaugurated his conservative administration outside Bogotá, the capital, for the first time in recent history. In his speech, De la Espriella declared, "The time for restoring order, authority and freedom has begun" and vowed to build large prisons, enlist the military against criminal organizations, and eradicate coca crops with herbicides.
He also stated that efforts to negotiate with criminal groups were "exhausted," emphasizing that members of such groups would face either cooperation with the law or confrontation from the Colombian state. De la Espriella, a 48-year-old lawyer, is known for representing paramilitaries, businessmen, and politicians accused of corruption and received U.S. support for his administration, which plans to spend $1 billion to combat crime and strengthen the energy sector.
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