Colombia's newly elected right-wing president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has declared that relations between his country and Israel will be stronger "than ever before" once he assumes office. He has pledged a full restoration of diplomatic and strategic ties with Israel, as well as a new phase of cooperation between the two nations.
Abelardo de la Espriella, who defeated his opponent by less than one percent in Sunday's presidential runoff, repeatedly emphasized during his election campaign that he would change Colombia's foreign policy course, particularly by strengthening relations with the United States and Israel.
Relations between Colombia and Israel had significantly deteriorated in recent years during the leftist presidency of Gustavo Petro. Petro harshly criticized Israel's military operations against the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, labeling them as "genocide." The Israeli government vehemently rejected these accusations, calling them baseless.
During Petro's tenure, diplomatic ties between Bogota and Jerusalem were severed, Colombia's coal exports to Israel were halted, and arms purchase agreements with Israel were frozen. These decisions dealt a severe blow to years of military-strategic cooperation.
Israel had long been considered one of Colombia's main military partners. The Colombian army was equipped with Israeli-made assault rifles, reconnaissance and surveillance systems, various military technologies, and combat aircraft. Close cooperation existed between the two countries in the fields of security and defense.
Abelardo de la Espriella, however, announced during his election campaign that he would revoke the decisions made by Petro. He stated that strategic partnership with Israel would be re-established upon his ascent to power. One of his key election promises was the full restoration of relations with the State of Israel, the opening of a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem, and the defense of Judeo-Christian values, which he considers the foundation of Western civilization.
After a phone conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, the newly elected president posted on social media, stating:
"Colombia will restore its relations with the State of Israel and strengthen them to an unprecedented level."
In turn, Gideon Sa'ar also posted, calling Abelardo de la Espriella "a true friend of the Jewish people and the State of Israel." The Israeli Foreign Minister noted that his election victory creates new opportunities and hope for a better future for relations between the two countries.
Abelardo de la Espriella, known by the nickname "El Tigre" (The Tiger), is a renowned lawyer and businessman. He holds both Colombian and U.S. citizenship. Abelardo de la Espriella is known as an outspoken supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump and is a member of the U.S. Republican Party.
Interestingly, he has never held any government position before. Nevertheless, during his election campaign, he managed to gain widespread support due to his firm stance on security, economic reforms, and foreign policy issues.
Abelardo de la Espriella will take over presidential powers from Gustavo Petro in August of this year.
Currently, Colombia faces its highest level of violence in the last decade. Armed groups, drug cartels, and illegal armed factions operating in various regions of the country remain a serious threat to the government. The new president announced plans during his election campaign to downsize the state apparatus, strengthen security forces, and implement tougher military operations against armed groups.
Furthermore, he stated that Colombia's activities in international organizations would be reviewed. De la Espriella specifically noted that the country's participation format in the UN and other international bodies would be evaluated from the perspective of national interests.
Thus, the change of power in Colombia could lead to significant shifts not only in the country's domestic policy but also in its foreign policy course. In particular, the re-establishment of relations with Israel and the U.S. is considered one of the main priorities of the Abelardo de la Espriella administration.
