Tag

Abelardo De La Espriella

All articles tagged with #abelardo de la espriella

international-crime-and-security4 hours ago•1 min saved

Colombia Extradites 'Spider' Drug Lord to U.S. After Policy Shift

Geovany Andres Rojas, a Colombian drug lord known as 'Araña' (The Spider), was extradited to the United States on September 26, 2026, after months of delays. Rojas, who led the paramilitary group Comandos de la Frontera, faces federal charges for cocaine trafficking and narco-terrorism in the Southern District of California. His transfer marked a significant policy reversal under new Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who lifted the extradition ban previously imposed by his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, to facilitate peace talks.

via CBS News|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia-extradition #comandos-de-la-frontera

world24 days ago•14 min saved

Colombia's Leader Uses Bodies on Video to Signal Tough Security Stance

Colombia's new president Abelardo De La Espriella posted a video beside body bags said to contain rebels, using the stark imagery as a bold display of state power and highlighting a regional pattern of leaders leveraging dramatic visuals to project authority.

via The New York Times|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #dead-bodies

world1 month ago•2 min saved

Colombia Eyes Trump-Backed Militarized Drug War

Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella invites the Trump administration to extend its militarized anti-drug campaign into Colombia, as Bogotá joins a U.S.-led counter-cartel coalition; U.S. forces have targeted traffickers in the region and designated Colombian groups as terrorists, signaling a shift from Petro’s stance, though cocaine flows into the United States have not declined.

via The Washington Post|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #counter-cartel-coalition

world1 month ago•3 min saved

Colombia’s new leader orders hardline crackdowns after dissident FARC chief killed

Colombia’s newly sworn president Abelardo de la Espriella pledged a tough crackdown on illegal armed groups, with a weekend military operation killing dissident FARC commander Hernando Forero Mosquera (El ruso) and five others, plus separate strikes that killed Gulf Clan members. The move signals a shift from the prior administration’s peace approach as the US commits about $1 billion in security aid and Colombia joins the Shield of the Americas to bolster anti-drug trafficking efforts.

via BBC|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #el-ruso

world-news1 month ago•16 min saved

US backs Colombia’s new hardline president with $1B security package

The U.S. State Department announced a $1 billion security package for the Colombian government of Abelardo de la Espriella, signaling a strengthened US-Colombia partnership as the Trump-backed right-wing president vows a hardline crackdown on drug cartels and armed groups; a delegation led by Attorney General Todd Blanche attended his Cali inauguration, with goals to eradicate coca, shrink government, and revive oil and gas, while linking Colombia to initiatives like the Shield of the Americas in a time of political polarization.

via upi.com|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #drug-cartels

world1 month ago•3 min saved

Colombia shaken as car bombing tests new hardline presidency

Days after hardline President Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration, a car bomb exploded at a toll plaza on the Pan-American Highway in Cauca, injuring two guards. Authorities say two armed groups splintered from FARC carried out the attack and vow a stern crackdown, signaling a shift away from the former administration’s 'Total Peace' approach. The move comes as the US pledges about $1 billion in security aid to support Colombia’s security push.

via Al Jazeera|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #car-bomb #cauca

world1 month ago•3 min saved

Car bombing injures 11 in Colombia ahead of Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration

Eleven people were wounded in a car bombing in Cucuta days before right-wing President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella takes office. No group claimed responsibility, though several rebel and criminal groups operate in the area. De la Espriella condemned the attack and pledged a hardline security stance as Colombia transitions from Petro, with his inauguration planned for Aug. 7 in Bogota.

via Al Jazeera|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #car-bombing #colombia

world3 months ago•6 min saved

Trump-backed outsider leads razor-thin Colombia runoff in early results

Trump-endorsed Abelardo de la Espriella led a razor-thin runoff in Colombia as over 99% of votes were counted, about 49.7% to Iván Cepeda’s 48.7%. De la Espriella has pledged a hardline crackdown on illegal armed groups, drug trafficking and crime, signaling a shift from the incumbent peace approach. Cepeda has not conceded and called for an official audit as tensions and protests surfaced in Barranquilla and Cali. The result, if confirmed, could mark a rightward tilt in Colombian politics amid ongoing internal conflict and security concerns.

via BBC|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #donald-trump

world3 months ago•4 min saved

Colombia shifts right as Abelardo de la Espriella seizes the presidency

Far-right outsider Abelardo de la Espriella narrowly defeats Iván Cepeda in Colombia’s presidential runoff, securing about 49.65% to 48.7% (roughly 248,000-vote margin) with 99.65% counted. His win marks a turn away from four years of Petro and a broader Latin American trend toward the right. De la Espriella has promised a hardline security approach, including ten maximum-security “mega-prisons,” seeking U.S. backing for actions against coca cultivation, and shrinking the state by about 40%. He will take office on August 7 with a minority in Congress, alongside vice-president José Manuel Restrepo, in a deeply polarized country. Petro has questioned the preliminary results and called for the official scrutiny process to conclude before declaring a final outcome.

via The Guardian|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #far-right

world3 months ago•192 min saved

Trump-backed 'Tiger' Leads Colombia Runoff, Hinting at a Rightward Shift

Colombia moves toward a presidential runoff between far-right outsider Abelardo de la Espriella, backed by Donald Trump, and leftist Iván Cepeda of the Historic Pact. De la Espriella led the first round with about 43.7% of votes, Cepeda just under 41%, forcing a June runoff. The campaign centers on security, crime, and governance, with de la Espriella advocating a hardline, “Plan Colombia 2.0”-style approach and Cepeda pushing negotiations and a continued social agenda. The result could reshape U.S.-Colombia ties and reflect a broader political shift amid concerns about violence, health reform, and regional geopolitics.

via CNN|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #elections

americas3 months ago•184 min saved

Colombia’s runoff showdown could redefine its alliance with the US

Colombia will decide its presidency in a June 21 runoff after Abelardo de la Espriella led the first round with 43.74% and Iván Cepeda trailed with 40.90%, with Paloma Valencia at 6.92%. The race pits a right‑wing, security‑focused platform seeking closer ties with the United States (and Israel) against Cepeda’s leftist, Petro‑era agenda emphasizing social reforms and diplomacy. The outcome could redefine domestic policy and Colombia’s foreign stance, including drug interdiction and regional diplomacy, regardless of which candidate wins the presidency.

via CNN|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #americas #colombia

world3 months ago•6 min saved

Pro-Trump hopeful advances to Colombia runoff amid security-peace debate

Abelardo de la Espriella led the first round with about 44% and will face Iván Cepeda in a June runoff, as voters weigh a hardline crackdown on crime against Cepeda’s push to continue peace negotiations.

via Politico|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #elections

world3 months ago•4 min saved

Colombia’s first round tests how reformist hope stacks up against security-focused rivals

Colombians cast ballots in a tight first round pitting leftist Ivan Cepeda, who pledges peace talks and broader social reforms, against hardline advocate Abelardo De La Espriella and right-wing Paloma Valencia, who push anti‑corruption measures, security crackdowns and oil-and-gas policies to fund social programs; Cepeda is unlikely to hit the 50% threshold, making a June runoff likely.

via Reuters|

#abelardo-de-la-espriella #colombia #colombia-election-2026