Abelardo de la Espriella

Force in Play

Ordered military deployment to Santa Marta

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered the militarization of Santa Marta, a Caribbean coastal city, on September 22. The move came after members of the Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN) shot at shops and burned vehicles, responding to a security operation that had killed 13 of their members, including a senior commander.

Updated Sep 24

Rule Changes

In office since August 2026

Colombia's outgoing government banned new mining and oil projects across 483,000 square kilometers of Amazon on August 4. The new administration of Abelardo de la Espriella has since repealed 10 other mining restrictions and says it wants to lift oil output to 1 million barrels a day.

Updated Sep 14

Rule Changes

In office since August 2026

Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, signed a decree on September 8 that ends a general suspension on permits to carry firearms in public, a ban in place since 2015. The decree took effect the next day, restoring validity to individual carry permits held by citizens who met legal requirements.

Updated Sep 9

Built World

Managing recovery after declaring an economic, social and ecological emergency

At 7:34 a.m. on August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near San José del Palmar in western Colombia's Chocó department. It was the strongest quake Colombia has recorded this century. The official death toll has reached 331.

Updated Sep 3

Rule Changes

President-elect of Colombia; to be inaugurated August 7, 2026

Colombia's 10-month election cycle ended June 21 when conservative lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella defeated leftist senator Iván Cepeda in the presidential runoff, 49.65% to 48.70% — a margin of fewer than 250,000 votes. His 12.9 million votes set a record for any Colombian presidential candidate. He takes office August 7.

Updated Jun 22