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)
