BOGOTA — Colombia’s new President Abelardo De la Espriella has vowed to dismantle the country’s armed and criminal groups, signaling a sharp break with predecessor Gustavo Petro’s policy of negotiating with insurgents and drug-trafficking organizations.
De la Espriella, a right-wing political newcomer, was sworn in on Friday and used his inaugural address to pledge a tougher security strategy against groups operating in Colombia’s rural areas and along key drug-trafficking routes. He said his government would prioritize restoring state authority and combating organized crime.
The president has said peace negotiations pursued under Petro are no longer viable and has called for armed organizations to disarm or face military action. His administration is also expected to intensify efforts against cocaine trafficking and other illicit economies that finance armed groups.
De la Espriella’s approach represents a significant policy shift after Petro, a leftist former guerrilla, made negotiations with armed organizations a central element of his “total peace” strategy. Those efforts produced limited progress and some talks were suspended as violence persisted in several regions.
Colombia continues to face threats from the National Liberation Army, or ELN, as well as dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and other criminal organizations. The groups compete for territory and control of illegal economies including drug trafficking and illegal mining.
The incoming president had already warned armed groups during the transition that they would have a limited period to surrender. He said his government would dismantle measures associated with Petro’s peace policy and restore arrest warrants for members of illegal armed organizations.
The security agenda comes as Colombia confronts persistent violence more than a decade after the government began peace negotiations with the ELN and nearly a decade after the 2016 peace agreement with the FARC. Armed groups have expanded in some areas, exploiting gaps in state control and lucrative illicit markets.
De la Espriella’s inauguration in Cali, rather than the traditional ceremony in Bogotá, underscored his emphasis on security and the regions affected by armed-group violence. His government has also signaled closer cooperation with the United States on counter-narcotics operations.
The new administration now faces the task of translating its campaign promises into security operations while determining whether any armed organizations will respond to its demand for disarmament.
