Right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella has been sworn in as president of Colombia. He won the election on promises to take a hard line against armed groups, cut government spending by up to 40 percent, and revive the country’s oil and gas industry.
De la Espriella, 48, took office as president on Friday. Breaking with tradition, the swearing-in ceremony was held not in the capital, Bogotá, but in Cali, a city in the country’s south-west. The city has long been a major flashpoint in the government’s conflict with armed groups.
By choosing Cali for the ceremony, de la Espriella signalled a clear break from outgoing leftist president Gustavo Petro’s strategy of seeking peace through negotiations with armed groups. De la Espriella has criticised Petro’s policy as a failure from the start.
After being sworn in on Friday, de la Espriella said: “No strategy or activity that undermines the country’s stability will be given any room.” He pledged to eradicate narco-terrorism.
“The path of dialogue is completely over,” de la Espriella added.
In remarks addressed to Colombia’s business community, de la Espriella said: “My government will be your partner in investing in Colombia.”
He said his government would work to further strengthen the capacity of the state-owned oil company Ecopetrol.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report