US Pledges £1bn to Colombia as New President Vows War on Organised Crime
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 8
US Pledges £1bn to Colombia as New President Vows War on Organised Crime
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 8
Summary
£1bn in US assistance was announced as Abelardo de la Espriella took office, tying Washington to Colombia's new right-wing government from day one.
Cali hosted the inauguration instead of Bogotá, underscoring his promise of an "all-out war" on "narco-terrorism" and a tougher line against armed groups.
The State Department cast the package as a security deal backing shared goals on organised crime, illegal immigration and closer border coordination, while also touting trade ties.
De la Espriella has already moved to join Trump's "Shield of the Americas" and is abandoning Gustavo Petro's peace-talks approach in favor of crackdowns, mega-prisons and tighter US-Israel alignment.
The shift marks a sharp reset in US-Colombia relations after Petro's clashes with Trump, though critics warn the new president's confrontational style could deepen domestic polarization.