Far-right leader Abelardo de la Espriella inaugurated as Colombia's new president

Abelardo de la Espriella, an ultraconservative lawyer, was inaugurated as Colombia's new president on Friday, signaling a sharp shift in national policy. He has vowed to dismantle ongoing peace negotiations and adopt a hardline approach against guerrilla groups and drug traffickers, a stance that realigns the country's alliance with the United States.

The 48-year-old lawyer, who also holds U.S. citizenship and is an ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, took the oath of office in Cali, a city in southwestern Colombia. His four-year term succeeds that of Gustavo Petro, the nation's first left-wing president, who has contested the election results, alleging fraud despite a lack of official corroboration.

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We are going to recover sovereignty and protect citizens from crime and narcoterrorism.

De la Espriella's decision to hold the inauguration ceremony in Cali, rather than the traditional capital Bogotá, underscores his focus on regions heavily impacted by armed groups. The city has recently experienced a surge in violence. His administration aims to terminate Petro's peace initiatives with organizations involved in cocaine trafficking, a significant issue in Colombia, the world's largest producer of the drug.

Petro, absent from the Cali ceremony, left the presidential palace with his family and staff, bidding farewell with a message of "liberty and life." Allies of Petro have called for protests following the election, which he lost by the narrowest margin in Colombian history. Security in Cali was heightened for the inauguration, with 11,000 military personnel deployed and an anti-drone system activated due to concerns about potential "acts of terrorism."

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I hope they remember us. Goodbye, liberty and life.