Mayors and governors with trials or allegedly corrupt or with criminal ties They remain in the sights of President Abelardo De La Espriella. The strategy reinforces one of the flags of his campaign, that of fight against corruption and clientelismbut it also opens a debate on the limits between the presidential denunciation and the functions of the bodies in charge of investigating and sanctioning.
READ ALSO
The most recent episode it happened this mondayafter a security council in Arauca. Without mentioning names, the president issued a warning to the authorities that could have political alliances with the Eln or the FARC dissidents.
“Let them hear it loud and clear! I will not accept alliances between politicians and the terrorists of the Eln and the FARC. Those whose hands are stained with blood They cannot decide the destiny of our country“De La Espriella wrote on his official X account.
The head of state He insisted that his actions are not conditioned for political commitments. “I am not a politician nor do I come from politics; therefore, I have no obligation to look good to anyone other than the law, the Constitution and good Colombians“he noted.
From Arauca, where I chaired a Security Council to evaluate the public order situation and strengthen the offensive against criminal organizations, I send a strong message to all of Colombia. God did not put me here to remain silent or to look the other way. I am not a politician nor do I come from politics; Therefore, I have no obligation to look good to anyone other than the law, the Constitution and good Colombians. Let them hear it loud and clear! I will not accept, ever!, alliances between politicians and the terrorists of the ELN and the FARC. Those whose hands are stained with blood cannot decide the destiny of our country. From Arauca I reiterate: I will do everything that corresponds to me, whatever the cost, to defend Colombians, recover security and restore tranquility to the territories that for years have suffered the terror of the violent. Sign for the country! Long live Christ the King! (ADLE) 🇨🇴🐅
— Abelardo De La Espriella (@ABDELAESPRIELLA) October 19, 2026
Just one day before, from San Andrés, The president directly confronted the governor of the archipelago, Girley Natacha Ordóñez Bowieand the representative to the Chamber for the territory, Elizabeth Jay-Pang Diaz. In his statements he alluded to alleged irregularities in the management of public resources, the management of the Coralina environmental corporation and the Departmental Hospital crisis.
READ ALSO
In a video it was recorded that after greeting members of the National Navy, The president questioned the leaders for protests against intervention of the National Health Superintendence to the hospital, which is experiencing budgetary difficulties, shortages of supplies and delays in the payment of medical payroll.
“Yesterday they told me that they were calm with the intervention of the hospital and they went there to cross. (…) I want you to know that I am aware of what is happening on the island and I’m not going to continue tolerating it. I am aware of your husband’s business, I am aware of Coralina, I am aware of everything that is being done and I’m not going to allow it“said the head of state, who was referring to alleged irregularities recorded in the hiring which would have been directed by Jay-Pang Díaz’s husband. However, in his statements he did not detail the evidence that would support these claims.
“I will not continue allowing to continue doing with the island what has always been done. AND I will use all my authority so that not a single peso is lost,” he added. Then, he addressed the representative: “The entire island knows that her husband is behind the hiring of the Government, doctor. Well, do you want me to prove it to you? “We’re going to do it then.”
🔴 Abelardo De la Espriella’s harsh confrontation with Governor and Representative of San Andrés Islas: “The entire island knows that your husband is behind the hiring,” she rebuked Congresswoman Elizabeth Jay-Pang Díaz, while she told both of them: “We ordered the hospital to intervene because you have been robbing the hospital for years and you sent your people to get in the way. I’m going to ask you not to go through that because I’m going to do it.” do, whether you want to or not,” he warned them. The Head of State, in front, told both leaders of the Island: “This archipelago is not going to be stolen again in my administration. In my presidency, not one more peso of the people who are mired in poverty, in abandonment will be touched. Money has not been lacking here, what has been lacking here is honesty, because a lot of money has arrived here and the political class of the archipelago has stolen it. I am going to get to the bottom of everything.”
— EL TIEMPO (@ELTIEMPO) October 18, 2026
It is not the first time that the president promises to go after those who dare to embezzle from the State. At the beginning of October, the mayor of Sincelejo, Yahir Acuña, participated in a tense exchange with the president during an event in Coveñas, after De La Espriella questioned him about the judicial proceedings against him.
READ ALSO
“It’s nothing personal, just explain to me how to trust a person who He has 13 processes for corruptionhas a video where it indicates how to steal the PAE and in addition to that is called to trial of the Supreme Court of Justice by illicit enrichment“he said during an event in Coveñas.
weeks before, The president had also warned the governor from Nariño, Luis Alfonso Escobarthat no regional leader could carry out negotiations or maintain clandestine contacts with illegal armed structures. According to De La Espriella, those who cross that line They would have to answer to justice. The statement came after Escobar questioned the national security strategy and bombings against armed groups.
And along the same lines he did it in a security advice from Cúcuta a few weeks ago: “Let’s fight and liberate each department of violence. The criminal association is over“We are not going to allow any leader to align with the bandits, because we are going to make them pay with total determination.”
The political bet and the questions about role of institutions
The episodes point to a sustained discursive line that insists on attack politicking, clientelism and corruptionand that he himself is the one who publicly points out questioned officials as well leave a background message.
For Carlos Ariasan expert in political communication, these pronouncements are not “a whim” of the President, but a response to the commitments made during the campaign and to the concerns expressed by citizens. In his opinion, the speech also responds to the vacuum of authority that left the previous government.
In that sense, according to Arias, what the president seeks to project is a government with authority, who are not afraid of bandits“, both from armed groups and ‘white collar’ groups, “who today hold certain privileges in some of the prisons.”
READ ALSO
While Sergio Guzmandirector of Colombia Risk Analysis, offers another reading on toughness of the presidential speech. He warns that in certain statements “the role of the institutions is somewhat blurred, because if the President is the one who accuses, the one who judges and the one who condemns, then where are the Attorney General’s Office, the Comptroller’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office?” he questioned.
Guzmán also distinguishes between referring to existing judicial processes, such as the case of the mayor of Sincelejo, and launch accusations for which no evidentiary support has been publicly presented. In his opinion, the complaints of a public official must be supported by evidence and formulated carefully, especially when they involve people whose cases are still pending.
“What I am seeing is that President De La Espriella He is throwing some accusations very lightly.“he stated.
Laura Juliana Castellanos Guevara – Political Editorial – EL TIEMPO
