Abelardo de la Espriella’s assumption of the presidency in Colombia marks the beginning of a significant transformation not only in the country’s domestic politics but also in its foreign policy and security approach. The announcement of a $1 billion security package by the United States to Colombia just hours after De la Espriella’s inauguration demonstrates that Washington-Bogota relations are being restructured on a different footing than during the Gustavo Petro era.[i] This development also reveals that US President Donald Trump, in his second term, has begun to use ideological affinity, security cooperation, and economic relations as complementary tools in his policy towards Latin America.
Colombia has been one of Washington’s most important partners in South America since the Cold War. “Plan Colombia,” developed particularly to combat prohibited substances, institutionalized military and security relations between the two countries. However, with Gustavo Petro’s rise to power in 2022, Bogota, while not completely abandoning its traditional alliance with Washington, has sought a more autonomous foreign policy. Petro’s efforts to improve relations with Venezuela and Cuba, his harsh criticism of Israel on the Palestinian issue, and his argument for greater independence for Latin America from Washington are significant indicators of this approach.
The De la Espriella administration, however, is distinctly deviating from this line. The new president’s openly expressed closeness to Trump during his election campaign and his declaration of a strong military alliance with the US indicate that Colombia is once again turning towards a Washington-centric security architecture. Therefore, the $1 billion package announced by the US should not be seen merely as technical assistance aimed at combating organized crime and cartels. This support also reflects Washington’s desire to strengthen a Colombian government that is ideologically and strategically aligned with it on a regional scale.
One of the most visible areas of this transformation is security policy. The Petro administration’s “Total Peace” approach aimed to end the country’s long-standing conflicts through negotiations with armed actors. However, the strengthening of armed groups in recent years, and especially the conflicts on the Colombia-Venezuela border that have displaced tens of thousands of people, have raised serious questions about the effectiveness of this policy. De la Espriella, on the other hand, is adopting a security policy that prioritizes military capacity and state authority, replacing the negotiation-centered approach.
The fact that the new president held his swearing-in ceremony in Cali, a city with intense security problems, instead of the capital Bogota, is also symbolically significant. De la Espriella’s declaration of “total war” against illegal armed groups and his statement that no region of the country would be safe from criminal organizations demonstrates that the state’s capacity for force is once again at the center of security policy.[ii] This approach is similar to the harsh security policies pursued by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele against gangs and the use of military methods by Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa against organized crime.
Colombia’s decision to join the “Shield of the Americas” security partnership created by Trump can also be evaluated in this context. Bogota’s participation in this structure means that, beyond bilateral relations, it is becoming part of the new security architecture that Washington is trying to develop in Latin America. Identifying issues such as illegal drug trafficking, organized crime, and irregular migration as common security threats could allow the US to strengthen its military and political influence in the region. Colombia, due to its geographical location, long border with Venezuela, and access to the Pacific and Caribbean, is poised to become one of the most important countries in this strategy.
The Trump administration’s approach also demonstrates that ideological affinity is becoming increasingly decisive in Latin American policy. Trump’s open support for De la Espriella before the elections and the announcement of a significant economic and security package immediately after taking office are concrete examples of this. Similarly, the substantial financial support received by Argentina under Javier Milie from the US indicates that Washington is strengthening its relations with politically allied governments through economic means. Conversely, increased pressure on governments that oppose Washington’s policies, such as Cuba, is leading to a more pronounced friend-rival divide in regional policy.
Another important dimension of the transformation in Colombia is its relationship with Israel. The Petro administration adopted one of the toughest stances against the Israeli government in Latin America due to the war in Gaza, severing diplomatic relations. De la Espriella’s promise to forge a strong military alliance with Israel, alongside the US, indicates that Bogota is preparing for a significant shift in its Middle East policy. Therefore, the change of power in Colombia could alter not only regional relations but also the country’s diplomatic axis of positioning on global issues.
This process is not independent of the broader rightward shift that has recently emerged in Latin America. The rise of Milei in Argentina, Keiko Fujimori in Peru, and De la Espriella in Colombia demonstrates the increasing influence of economic problems, irregular migration, organized crime, and security concerns on voter behavior. Within this context, Brazil occupies a more critical position in terms of regional balances. The fact that Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration remains the main actor representing the left among the major countries in the region, and that he will face Flavio Bolsonaro in the upcoming elections, means that the Brazilian elections have a regional, not just a national, significance.
In conclusion, De la Espriella’s rise to power should be viewed as more than just a simple change of government in Colombia. The US announcement of $1 billion in security support following the new administration’s inauguration demonstrates Washington’s desire to reposition Colombia as a key partner in its Latin American strategy. The Petro era’s negotiated security policy, its pursuit of regional autonomy, and its distanced rhetoric towards Washington are being replaced by a new approach that prioritizes military security, strategic partnership with the US, and ideological proximity. Therefore, the change in Colombia can be interpreted as a significant part of a broader US strategy to reassert its influence in the region, alongside the shift to the right in Latin America.
[i] Aikman, Ian, and Mimi Swaby. “US Offers $1bn to Colombia on New Right-Wing President’s First Day of Officee”, BBC, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9wy3y0e5wo, (Date of Access: 09.08.2026).
[ii] Ibid.
