Security & Strategic Review - September 2026

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake which shook western Colombia on 10 August, just three days after President Abelardo de la Espriella took office, meant that his security plans took a backseat during his first weeks in power. Nevertheless, he has already torn up the security and counternarcotics playbook that was drafted by his left-wing predecessor, Gustavo Petro (2022-2026). Promises of a tougher stance on these issues have been applauded by Washington but also seem to have generated pushback from the country’s guerrilla groups, which carried out a wave of bombings and drone attacks in the weeks after the change of government.