U.S. plans $1 billion security package for Colombia's new government
The United States intends to provide $1 billion in assistance to Colombia under a new security package backing the government of President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office Aug. 7, the U.S. State Department said, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The department said the funding would be arranged in coordination with Congress and framed it as the centerpiece of a renewed partnership between the two countries.
Washington set out several areas where it plans to work with Bogota on strengthening Colombian security forces. These include the transfer of U.S. technology, more efficient defense spending, closer interoperability between the two militaries and joint operations with U.S. forces.
A U.S. presidential delegation headed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche attended the inauguration. According to the State Department, the delegation signaled the administration's intent to deepen security and economic ties, and it described the effort as "reinvigorating" the relationship between the two countries. The statement also referred to more than two centuries of friendly relations and said the administration expects to work closely with the incoming Colombian government on security and prosperity in the hemisphere.
De la Espriella was sworn in not in the capital, Bogota, but in Cali, departing from the customary venue for the ceremony. The choice was meant to highlight his position on armed groups operating in the country's southwest.
In his remarks on taking office, the new president promised a harder line against drug trafficking. He also said his government would pursue austerity measures intended to shore up the economy and rebuild investor confidence.
Colombia has been one of Washington's principal partners in Latin America on counternarcotics and security cooperation for decades, an arrangement formalized at the start of the 2000s and sustained through successive administrations in both capitals. Cali and the surrounding Valle del Cauca department, along with neighboring areas along the Pacific coast, have long been affected by coca cultivation and by the presence of armed groups.
Earlier, Qazinform reported on tensions between Washington and Bogota, including former President Petro's criticism of Trump and U.S. President’s remarks hinting at possible military action involving Colombia.