The United States has announced a $1 billion security package for Colombia, just hours after the swearing-in of the country's newly elected right-wing populist president, Abelardo de la Espriella. De la Espriella, an admirer of Donald Trump and a self-proclaimed maverick outsider, pledged to wage an "all-out war" on drug cartels during his maiden speech. This move is part of a broader trend in Latin America, where countries are increasingly leaning towards right-wing governments in response to economic hardship and escalating gang violence. De la Espriella's policies, which include a tough stance on crime and a pledge to rebuild Colombia, have drawn comparisons with similar crackdowns by right-wing populists in El Salvador and Ecuador. This shift contrasts starkly with his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, who pursued a strategy of "total peace" to end the country's internal conflict between guerrilla groups, the state, and cartels. Critics argue that Petro's approach failed to curb armed group membership and violence, leading to displacement of tens of thousands of people in Colombia and along its border with Venezuela. De la Espriella has signaled his intent to align Colombia more closely with the US, joining the "Shield of the Americas" security partnership initiated by Trump. This move has been welcomed by the US state department, which sees potential for increased trade and deepened economic ties between the two countries. The US is also courting politically aligned leaders in other Latin American nations, such as Argentina, while threatening to take a harder line against those it disagrees with, like Cuba's Communist government. De la Espriella's ascension, along with that of Keiko Fujimori in Peru, has reduced the number of left-wing leaders in the region, leaving Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with fewer political allies. However, he will face a challenge from Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is also a far-right populist friendly with the US president, in October. De la Espriella has promised a strong military alliance with the US and Israel, a stark contrast to Petro's criticism of Israeli offensive actions in Gaza and advocacy for the Palestinian cause.