Monday, July 27th 2026 - 08:44 UTC
“We are going to have the main headquarters of the Shield of the Americas, the agreement we will sign with the United States in the fight against crime and drug trafficking,” the president-elect said
Colombia's president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, confirmed that Medellín will host the Colombian headquarters of the Shield of the Americas, the security alliance promoted by US President Donald Trump, and announced he will work part of the time from that city and from Barranquilla. The announcements came during a series of activities in the department of Antioquia, less than two weeks before he takes office on August 7.
“We are going to have the main headquarters of the Shield of the Americas, the agreement we will sign with the United States in the fight against crime and drug trafficking,” the president-elect said after a meeting of more than five hours with Governor Andrés Julián Rendón and the department's 125 mayors. He justified the choice by arguing that Medellín is where “the head of the serpent of drug trafficking and organized crime” lies and that much of the country's criminal structures is directed from its metropolitan area. He also signaled a hardline approach toward those organizations.
