Bombings, extraditions, and militarized cities mark De la Espriella’s first 90 days in charge of security

President Abelardo de la Espriella has used his first 90 days in office to signal a tougher security policy, stepping up military action and presenting himself publicly at raids and operations. The shift matters because Colombia remains affected by armed conflict, despite the 2016 FARC peace agreement, and the government is seeking to restore state authority in areas controlled by illegal groups.

When De la Espriella took office on 7 August, estimates put the number of organised armed-group members at nearly 29,000, with at least 14 active areas of conflict. His government says its 90-day “shock plan” would target 10 major criminal leaders; the most prominent result so far was the killing of Naín Andrés Pérez Toncel, a leader of the Sierra Nevada Self-Defence Forces. There have been at least six airstrikes, in which at least eight minors have died, alongside more extraditions and military deployments in Santa Marta and Cúcuta; proposed mega-prisons have yet to be built.