Colombia's president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, said Monday that intelligence services had uncovered an alleged plot by leftist guerrilla groups to assassinate him ahead of his inauguration next month.
De la Espriella's security team said it had received intelligence warning of a possible attack during events related to the presidential transition before he takes office on Aug. 7.
Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella
(Photo: Jaime SALDARRIAGA / AFP)
In a statement, his office alleged that the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had offered nearly $1 million to carry out an assassination of the president-elect.
The statement also warned of possible attempts by criminal operatives to infiltrate press conferences and other public appearances attended by de la Espriella.
Despite the reported threat, the president-elect "will not suspend his agenda," his office said, calling on Colombian authorities to investigate the alleged plot and determine its origin.
De la Espriella, a 47-year-old conservative lawyer and businessman who won last month's presidential runoff, campaigned on a hard-line security platform, pledging to abandon many of outgoing leftist President Gustavo Petro's negotiations with armed groups and launch an aggressive military campaign against guerrilla organizations.
A longtime supporter of Israel, de la Espriella has pledged to restore diplomatic ties severed by Petro in 2024 and has vowed to strengthen cooperation with Jerusalem "like never before." He has also announced plans to relocate Colombia's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem after taking office, a move welcomed by Israeli officials.
President Isaac Herzog spoke with de la Espriella shortly after his election victory, and the two agreed to work toward restoring bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between the countries.