"A New Stage Begins": Kast Met with De la Espriella Ahead of Colombia's Power Transition

Chilean President José Antonio Kast met with Colombia's President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella in Cali, hours before De la Espriella's inauguration for the 2026-2030 term. The meeting signaled a new chapter in bilateral relations, with both leaders expressing a commitment to enhancing cooperation in key areas.

"A new stage begins in the relationship between Chile and Colombia," Kast stated on X, formerly Twitter. He highlighted that he and De la Espriella found common ground on strengthening cooperation in security, trade, and the defense of democracy within the region. Kast also met with Argentina's President Javier Milei during his visit.

Argentina's presidency shared images of the meetings, showing Milei, his sister Karina Milei, and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno with De la Espriella and his wife, Ana Lucía Pineda. Kast, De la Espriella, and Milei are noted for sharing a liberal economic outlook, advocating for reduced state size, and maintaining critical positions toward left-wing governments in Latin America. This ideological alignment was a recurring theme during De la Espriella's campaign and after his electoral victory.

The bilateral discussions took place at the Cali Cultural Center, a venue designated for De la Espriella's official pre-inauguration events. The ceremony for the Colombian president's inauguration was scheduled for 3:00 PM local time (4:00 PM Chile time). The event also saw other bilateral meetings, including one between Argentine President Milei and Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, and another with King Felipe VI of Spain.

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A new stage begins in the relationship between Chile and Colombia. I met with President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella and we agreed to strengthen cooperation in security, trade, and the defense of democracy in the region.