Colombia to join US-backed “Shield of Americas” alliance

Colombia’s newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella has announced that the country will join the “Shield of the Americas,” an alliance established by the United States.

AzerNEWS reports that the president made the announcement in his first speech after being sworn in on August 7.

“One of the first duties I will carry out after this ceremony will be to sign the ‘Shield of the Americas’ agreement,” de la Espriella said.

He said the initiative would allow participating countries to combine their strengths, exchange strategic intelligence and strengthen collective efforts by free nations to address threats to national and regional security.

The Colombian president justified the decision by arguing that Colombia, like other countries, cannot confront global criminal organizations on its own.

De la Espriella also said his administration would seek to strengthen relations with countries around the world based on mutual respect. His government, he added, would work to expand existing free trade agreements and encourage the signing of new ones.

The announcement signals a potential shift in Colombia’s regional security and foreign policy priorities, with the new administration placing greater emphasis on international cooperation against transnational criminal networks and closer security coordination with the United States.