{
  "id": 359069,
  "title": "US offers $1bn to Colombia on new right-wing president’s first day of office",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/us-offers-1bn-to-colombia-on-new-right-wing-presidents-first-day-of",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-09T05:19:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/us-offers-1bn-to-colombia-on-new-right-wing-presidents-first-day-of-office/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United States has offered a $1 billion security package to Colombia on the first day of the new right-wing president's term, Abelardo de la Espriella. De la Espriella, who is a fan of Donald Trump, promised an \"all-out war\" against drug cartels during his inaugural speech. The US State Department stated that this package would aid Colombia in achieving their shared objectives, primarily combating organized crime and illegal immigration. Trump had previously criticized de la Espriella's left-wing predecessor over their respective approaches to drug cartels and immigration issues. The inauguration of de la Espriella reflects a growing trend of Latin American nations moving towards right-wing policies amid economic difficulties and security concerns. Trump has increased his engagement with Latin America during his second term, supporting politically aligned leaders and distancing himself from those he disagrees with. De la Espriella positioned himself as a maverick outsider who would combat crime with an \"iron fist\" during his fiery inaugural speech, vowing to address armed insurgents, rebuild Colombia, and defend democracy by any means necessary. He likened the era to a \"Tiger,\" emphasizing the need for forceful and decisive action against crime. De la Espriella's strategy mirrors those of other right-wing populists like Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and Daniel Noboa in Ecuador. Critics argue that his approach diverges from his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, who favored a \"total peace\" strategy, prioritizing negotiation and discouraging farmers from planting coca. De la Espriella has pledged to withdraw from the \"total peace\" approach and join the \"Shield of the Americas\" security partnership initiated by Trump, further aligning Colombia with right-wing governments like Argentina under Javier Milei. Nevertheless, de la Espriella's ascent comes amid dwindling left-wing leaders in the region, as Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva now faces opposition from Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of the former jailed President Jair Bolsonaro.",
  "summary": "The US has pledged $1bn (£740m) to Colombia hours after the country’s new right-wing populist president was sworn in. Abelardo de la Espriella, an admirer of Donald Trump who echoed many of the US president’s policies on the campaign trail, used his maiden speech to promise an “all-out war” on drug cartels. The US state […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "A car-bomb attack targets southwest Colombia a day after conservative president takes office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/a-car-bomb-attack-targets-southwest-colombia-a-day-after-conservative",
        "published": "2026-08-08T18:53:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "US offers $1bn to Colombia on new right-wing president’s first day of office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/us-offers-1bn-to-colombia-on-new-right-wing-presidents-first-day-of",
        "published": "2026-08-08T20:45:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KahawaTungu",
        "title": "US gifts $1bn to Colombia on new right-wing president’s first day of office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/us-gifts-1bn-to-colombia-on-new-right-wing-presidents-first-day-of",
        "published": "2026-08-08T21:18:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Car bomb attack rattles Colombia after inauguration of hardline president",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/car-bomb-attack-rattles-colombia-after-inauguration-of-hardline",
        "published": "2026-08-08T22:22:36.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Colombia rocked by car bomb blast a day after new President takes charge",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/colombia-rocked-by-car-bomb-blast-a-day-after-new-president-takes",
        "published": "2026-08-09T01:58:35.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}