The United States announced it will provide Colombia with $1 billion in aid under a security package following the inauguration of a right-wing president.
Foreign news agencies reported on 8 Jan 2026 that the U.S. announced a $1 billion aid package to Colombia just hours after Abelardo De La Espriella, the new right-wing populist president, was sworn in.
The U.S. State Department stated that this security package will help Colombia achieve shared goals with the U.S. in combating criminal organizations and illegal immigration.
De La Espriella, a supporter of Donald Trump, declared in his inaugural speech a “full-scale war” on drug trafficking groups and vowed to crack down decisively on crime.
De La Espriella chose to hold the inauguration ceremony in the conflict-ridden city of Cali in western Colombia, an area plagued by gang violence, instead of the capital Bogotá, to demonstrate his commitment to restoring order.
His hardline policies have been compared to Nayib Bukele of El Salvador and Daniel Noboa of Ecuador, contrasting with former leftist President Gustavo Petro, who focused on peace negotiations and incentivizing farmers to stop growing coca, policies criticized for failing as armed groups grew.
One of De La Espriella’s first initiatives is to have Colombia join the 'Shield of the Americas' security alliance founded by Donald Trump.
The rise to power of De La Espriella and Keiko Fujimori in Peru reflects a rightward trend in Latin America, leaving Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil as the only remaining leftist leader in the region, who will face right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro in the upcoming October elections.
De La Espriella pledged to build strong military alliances with the U.S. and Israel, in contrast to his predecessor Petro, who severed ties with Israel over the Gaza conflict.
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Source:bbc