Abelardo De La Espriella, a millionaire lawyer with a taste for spectacle who calls himself "The Tiger," was sworn in as Colombia's new right-wing president on Friday. During his inaugural speech delivered at a military garrison in Cali, De La Espriella vowed to start a profound transformation of the country's destiny.
Having won the runoff election in June, De La Espriella pledged a vigorous fight against drug trafficking and vowed to defeat narco-terrorists. His platform includes cracking down on armed groups, reviving the oil and gas sector, and implementing austerity measures to restore confidence in the economy, which includes shrinking the state by as much as 40%.
The US State Department announced on Friday that President Donald Trump's administration plans to provide $1 billion in security assistance to the Colombian government. Trump, who endorsed De La Espriella, has described the new president as a smart, strong, and tough leader.