US says it plans $1 billion security assistance to government of Colombia’s new leader

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department said on Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration plans to provide $1 billion in security assistance to the government of Colombia’s new right-wing President Abelardo De La Espriella.

Here are details and quotes:

• “As a cornerstone of this renewed partnership, the United States, working with Congress, intends to announce $1 billion in assistance as part of a security package to support President De La Espriella’s Administration in achieving our shared goals,” the State Department said in a statement.

• Colombia’s new president, who has promised a crackdown on crime and an economic revival, was sworn in on Friday.

• Trump had endorsed him during the elections.

• The State Department said the Trump administration welcomed Colombia into the “Shield of the Americas,” ​a Trump-created military alliance of right-wing leaders pledging to fight drug trafficking.

• Trump has moved to increase U.S. presence and influence in Latin America.

• He ordered the seizure of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a deadly raid and the U.S. ⁠military ​has carried out multiple strikes on boats in the Caribbean that ​have killed dozens.

• Rights advocates, both in the U.S. and around the world, say such actions are illegal, imperial and amount to extrajudicial killings.

• Trump casts them as attempts to counter ​drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

• Trump had publicly feuded with former President Gustavo Petro, a former rebel and Colombia’s first leftist president, over a range of issues.

• Petro had accused Trump of being “complicit in genocide” over U.S. ally Israel’s assault on Gaza and called for “criminal proceedings” over American attacks on boats in Caribbean waters.

• He had also criticized Trump’s endorsement of De La Espriella during the elections.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Tom Hogue)