Cali (Colombia) (AFP) – With a lucrative legal career and a variety of colorful business projects under his belt, Colombia's incoming president Abelardo de la Espriella now has grand plans to crush armed insurgents, cozy up to the United States and overhaul the system.
Issued on: 07/08/2026 - 21:06
3 min Reading time
The millionaire lawyer with a taste for spectacle is set to take office on Friday after a campaign focused on anger and fears about security.Following a legal career that saw him represent drug-trafficking paramilitaries, fraudsters and football stars, he has promised to restore order with an iron hand. During the campaign, he leaned heavily into his self-proclaimed nickname "The Tiger," sharing AI-generated images of himself as a fanged tiger and the only candidate willing to wage war on crime and insurgency."I have the balls to restore order," he said repeatedly.
De la Espriella’s bombastic campaign featured fireworks, AI videos and his characteristic military salute © JOAQUIN SARMIENTO / AFP
