Colombia President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella names new social chief, condemns murder of pregnant woman
President‑elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced the appointment of Sandra Suárez Pérez as the head of the Departamento Administrativo para la Prosperidad Social (DPS), emphasizing transparency, merit‑based management and a focus on poverty reduction. Suárez, a former environment minister with a Harvard public‑administration master’s degree, will oversee the country’s main anti‑poverty programmes.
De la Espriella also rejected the brutal killing of 21‑year‑old María Camila Potosí, who was found dead in Cali with her eight‑month pregnancy missing. He called the crime “aberrant”, urged authorities to capture the perpetrators and promised stronger protection for women once in office. A reward of up to 200 million pesos has been offered for information.
Other developments linked to the incoming administration include discussion of holding the presidential inauguration in a military garrison—a proposal that has sparked debate over civil‑military symbolism—and speculation that campaign strategist Joaquín Gutiérrez Caballero could be nominated to lead Ecopetrol, the state oil company, despite lacking sector experience.