Source : Perth Now news
Right-wing lawyer Abelardo De La Espriella has been sworn in as Colombia’s new president after winning a run-off election on promises to crack down on armed groups, shrink the state by as much as 40 per cent and revive the oil and gas sector.
An ally of US President Donald Trump, De La Espriella, 48, represented well-known right-wing paramilitaries during his time as a lawyer.
He has never previously held elected office.
De La Espriella succeeds Gustavo Petro after winning the close June 21 run-off against the outgoing president’s ally, senator Ivan Cepeda.
His inauguration was not in the capital as is the tradition, but in the volatile southwest city of Cali in a move meant to signal his hard-line approach to illegal armed groups operating in the region.
De La Espriella, who calls himself “El Tigre” or “The Tiger”, has pledged to tackle the persistent violence in Colombia by breaking with Petro’s policy of negotiating with armed groups, arguing that the peace process has failed.
with AP
