Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella vowed Friday to restore order and crush “narco-terrorism” in a forceful first speech as the country’s new leader.
Hours after his inauguration in the southwestern city of Cali, the 48-year-old U.S.-backed millionaire flew by helicopter to a military garrison, where he addressed hundreds of soldiers and laid out his hard-line security agenda.
His presidency marks a sharp turn to the right for the Andean nation, with de la Espriella signaling plans to strengthen ties with Washington and take a tougher approach toward Colombia’s array of armed groups.
“There will be no room for maneuvers that undermine the stability of the nation,” he told the troops, delivering a stern message that echoed the military-style salute he adopted during his campaign.
De la Espriella pledged to “relentlessly defeat narco-terrorism,” declaring that “the option of dialogue is completely exhausted” in a clear rejection of the previous administration’s faltering peace talks with guerrilla groups.
