US Pentagon invites Colombia's president-elect to join Escudo de las Américas

Abelardo De la Espriella, president-elect of Colombia, has accepted an invitation from U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to join the Escudo de las Américas (A3C) coalition starting August 7, 2026, marking a significant shift in bilateral relations. The invitation was extended shortly after De la Espriella's narrow victory in the runoff election, with 49.66% of the vote against leftist Iván Cepeda's 48.7% Source: infobae.

The invitation

Hegseth publicly congratulated De la Espriella on his "historic victory" and proposed revitalizing the military alliance between the two countries to combat drug trafficking and "narcoterrorists" Source: elnacionalve. The offer followed a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed his support and said he expects to "build a powerful relationship" with Colombia Source: infobae.

The coalition

The Escudo de las Américas is a multinational security coalition created by the Trump administration on March 7, 2026, in Miami. It currently includes 17 countries from the Americas, such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador. The coalition aims to coordinate intelligence sharing, joint military operations, and efforts against drug trafficking, organized crime, and money laundering Source: larepublicaco. Some analysts note geopolitical implications and debate over U.S. influence in the region.

De la Espriella's response

In a post on X, De la Espriella thanked Hegseth and confirmed Colombia's participation: "As of August 7, Colombia will be part of the Escudo de las Américas. Colombia will NO longer be governed by a government complacent with narco-terrorism, we will move to combat it as it should be. Firm for the Homeland!" Source: infobae.