Far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in on Friday as Colombia’s president for the 2026-2030 period, according to telesurenglish.net. The ceremony took place at the USC Arena of Santiago de Cali University, amid social mobilizations rejecting the new government across the country.

The inauguration marks the return to power of sectors linked to a formula that left millions of victims in Colombia, opening a cycle of political confrontation between the new Executive and social movements that maintain their presence in the streets.

‘I swear to God and promise the people to faithfully comply with the Constitution and the laws of Colombia,’ said the 48-year-old De la Espriella before Congress President Honorio Henríquez, who then placed the presidential sash on him, succeeding Gustavo Petro.

After the ceremony, De la Espriella moved to the Pichincha Military Canton, 2.5 kilometers from the auditorium, where he delivered his first presidential speech. The speech, delivered before military chiefs and in the presence of regional far-right leaders, marks the beginning of a mandate that critics warn could deepen social inequalities, while supporters see it as ‘a restoration of order and the rule of law.‘

Peace Dialogue Option Exhausted

Speaking before the country’s military chiefs at the Pichincha Military Canton in Cali, De la Espriella said that ‘the possibility that Colombia transits the path of freedom, of institutions and the rule of law’ had won. He warned that ‘there will be no space for maneuvers that threaten the stability of the nation or the legitimate mandate that begins today.’

In a direct accusation against the outgoing administration, he held it responsible for the assassination of Miguel Uribe Turbay, without presenting any evidence. In the security field, De la Espriella announced that in the coming hours he will publish a list of groups he described as alleged ‘narco-terrorist.’

‘The option of dialogue is completely exhausted,’ he assured, marking a rupture with the peace policy promoted by the Petro government. De la Espriella highlighted former right-wing president Álvaro Uribe, asserting that during his governments the alleged terrorism was confronted firmly and the authority of the state was restored.

The reference aligns the new Executive with the political tradition of the Colombian right and distances it from the progressive administration of Gustavo Petro, whom the new president did not mention by name but repeatedly criticized.

Foreign Policy and Economic Reforms

In foreign policy, De la Espriella affirmed that his administration will strengthen relations with ‘all countries of the world on the basis of mutual respect’ and insisted that Colombia will join the U.S. ‘Shield of the Americas’ agreement, an initiative he had already anticipated during the electoral campaign.

In economic policy, the president announced a decree to freeze public spending alongside a tax reform aimed at eliminating the wealth tax. According to De la Espriella, these initiatives are designed to promote private investment and stimulate production.

Energy security was highlighted as another major pillar. De la Espriella pledged to restructure Ecopetrol following recent economic losses. To boost energy independence, he announced an active policy of hydrocarbon exploration and the development of ‘responsible and sustainable fracking.’

To mitigate the looming impacts of the El Niño phenomenon, the administration will strengthen thermal energy generation and safeguard vital water reservoirs.

Glyphosate Fumigation Resumed

The new president confirmed that his administration will advance with the eradication of illicit crops through fumigation with herbicides, reviving a controversial practice. The aerial spraying of glyphosate, suspended in past years after judicial rulings and health and environmental concerns, had been one of the most debated elements of the Colombian counter-narcotics strategy.

The announcement generated immediate reactions from social and peasant organizations, which warn that fumigation affects food security and the health of rural communities. The new approach also distances Colombia from the dialogue-based strategies that the Petro government had promoted with armed groups under the banner of ‘total peace.’

The first speech of the new president consolidates a security doctrine that distances his government from the ‘total peace’ policy and aligns the Executive with the political tradition of former president Álvaro Uribe, in a context marked by massive mobilizations rejecting the inauguration in different cities.

De la Espriella represents a profound ideological turn for Colombia, as the new administration systematically dismantles the social, peace, and environmental strategies of the previous progressive executive, according to telesurenglish.net.