Abelardo de la Espriella assumes the presidency of Colombia

Abelardo de la Espriella assumed the presidency of Colombia on Friday at an event in the city of Cali to replace the traditional investiture in Bogotá. The inauguration of the 48-year-old new president has been marked by an unusual protocol and the participation of religious leaders. De la Espriella has promised to open a new era under the slogan "Patria Milagro".

The event, held at the Arena USC of the University of Santiago de Cali, was attended by a rabbi, an evangelical pastor and the president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia, among others, and the singer Maia performed the song Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen in front of an image of the Virgin of Fatima.

A Change of Course in Security Policy

After receiving the president's gang, De la Espriella has left the event to head to the Pichincha military barracks, where he made his first speech as president, to the Armed Forces. He has announced a change in security policy and declared that "the possibility of dialogue" with illegal armed groups is "completely exhausted."

The new president has also announced the restoration of fumigations against illegal crops and the construction of "megacarceles" for those who pose the greatest threat to public security, and has warned criminal groups and drug traffickers that they will either submit to the law or resist the "firm force" of the Colombian state and its security forces.

In economic terms, De la Espriella has announced a plan based on austerity, attracting investment and exploiting natural resources to restore confidence in the country and make Colombia a "safe and profitable destination" for investors.

Meanwhile, hundreds of opponents have gathered peacefully in the Puerto Resistencia area, one of the epicentres of the 2021 protests. Following the events, the new president has officially appointed his 18 ministers.