The United States said on Friday it intends to provide $1 billion in security assistance to Colombia under newly inaugurated President Abelardo De La Espriella, as Washington moves to deepen ties with a right-wing ally in Latin America.
The State Department confirmed the pledge in a statement issued the same day De La Espriella was sworn in, describing the funding as part of a broader security package designed to support his administration’s agenda, says Reuters.
The announcement, made in Washington, marks the opening step of what officials described as a “renewed partnership” between the two countries, contingent on cooperation with the US Congress.
De La Espriella, who campaigned on promises to crack down on crime and revive Colombia’s economy, received the backing of President Donald Trump during the election campaign.
The State Department said Washington would work alongside Congress to finalise the assistance package, which it framed as central to advancing what it called shared goals between the two governments.
As part of the deepening relationship, the department said the Trump administration had welcomed Colombia into the “Shield of the Americas,” a military alliance created under Trump that brings together right-wing leaders in the region committed to combating drug trafficking.
The pledge comes as Trump has sought to expand American influence and military presence across Latin America.
His administration has overseen the seizure of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro during a raid that left several people dead, along with a series of US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean that have killed dozens of people.
Trump has defended these actions as necessary measures to counter drug trafficking and curb illegal immigration. However, human rights advocates in the United States and abroad have condemned the operations, characterising them as unlawful, imperialist and tantamount to extrajudicial killings.
The new assistance package signals a marked shift in Washington’s relationship with Bogotá following years of tension under De La Espriella’s predecessor, Gustavo Petro. Colombia’s first leftist president, and a former rebel,
Petro repeatedly clashed with Trump over a range of issues during his time in office.
Petro accused Trump of being complicit in genocide over Washington’s support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, and called for criminal proceedings against the US over its strikes on boats in Caribbean waters.
He also criticised Trump’s public endorsement of De La Espriella ahead of the election, further straining relations between the two administrations.
The contrast between Washington’s frosty ties with Petro and its swift embrace of his successor underscores the extent to which ideological alignment has shaped US engagement with Latin American governments under Trump.
Analysts say the $1 billion pledge is likely to be viewed as a signal of Washington’s intent to consolidate a bloc of right-leaning allies in the region, even as questions persist over the legality of American military operations in the Caribbean and beyond.
Colombia has long been one of the largest recipients of US security assistance in Latin America, owing to its role in counter-narcotics operations.
The renewed commitment suggests that cooperation on security matters will remain a central pillar of bilateral relations under De La Espriella, whose government has pledged to prioritise both public safety and economic recovery in the months ahead.
No timeline has yet been given for when the assistance package might be finalised or presented to Congress for approval.
