# Colombian presidency of Abelardo de la Espriella > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/colombian-presidency-of-abelardo-de-la-espriella > Updated: 2026-09-10T19:34:09.000Z. Sources: 18. Developments: 3. Abelardo de la Espriella, a multimillionaire and U.S. citizen, was elected president of Colombia following a narrow victory of less than 1% in the June elections. His platform includes adopting the U.S. dollar as the official currency and increasing the U.S. military presence in the country. Following the election, former President Gustavo Petro accused the United States and Israel of interfering in the electoral process, specifically naming the Israeli firm BlackCore as being involved in manipulating results. Concerns regarding press freedom have also intensified due to Presidential Directive No. 01 of 2026, which critics argue restricts journalistic access. In September 2026, President De la Espriella shifted national security policy by officially terminating peace dialogue processes and socio-legal spaces established under the Petro administration. By signing resolutions to revoke the designation of government negotiators, the administration ended talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), the Clan del Golfo, various FARC dissident groups, and the National Coordinator of the Bolivarian Army. De la Espriella justified the termination by claiming the previous government spent over 7,000 million Colombian pesos on negotiator fees while criminal organizations strengthened. He announced a new policy of ‘submission to justice or force,’ asserting that armed groups will no longer receive political status or concessions. In response, former President Petro has criticized the administration’s security handling and supported calls for a civic strike in Nariño. Meanwhile, fact-checkers noted that social media videos claiming to show recent protests in Pasto were actually recorded in June 2026. ## Claims - President Abelardo de la Espriella terminated all peace dialogue processes inherited from the previous administration. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Over 7,000 million Colombian pesos were spent on fees for spokespersons and negotiators during the previous administration. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The administration revoked the designation of government representatives in the peace talks with the ELN. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The government terminated negotiations with the Clan del Golfo (Ejército Gaitanista de Colombia). (single source) - The administration issued nine resolutions to end processes with FARC dissidents and other armed groups. (single source) - Criminal organizations will no longer receive political status or legal concessions under the current administration. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-10: Abelardo de la Espriella ends peace dialogues with ELN and criminal groups Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ended peace negotiations with the ELN and other armed groups, citing the failure and high cost of previous dialogue processes. 14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/president-abelardo-de-la-espriella-faces-press-freedom-concerns-and-earthquake-relief-duties ### 2026-09-04: Colombia: Press freedom concerns rise over alleged presidential media restrictions Lawyer Vanessa López Ochoa warns that alleged orders by President Abelardo De la Espriella to restrict media access to non-aligned outlets pose a risk to press freedom and democratic principles in Colombia. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombia-press-freedom-concerns-rise-over-alleged-presidential-media-restrictions ### 2026-08-28: Colombia elects U.S. citizen Abelardo de la Espriella amid interference allegations Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, faces allegations of foreign interference from the U.S. and Israel following a narrow election victory. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombia-elects-us-citizen-abelardo-de-la-espriella-amid-interference-allegations --- Cite as: Colombian presidency of Abelardo de la Espriella. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/colombian-presidency-of-abelardo-de-la-espriella