De la Espriella Warns Colombia Is 'Al Borde del Abismo' as He Blames Petro for Fiscal Crisis
In a televised address marking his first month in office, President Abelardo de la Espriella accused the previous government of committing roughly 10 trillion pesos in spending in a single week, leaving the country in a precarious fiscal position.
President Abelardo de la Espriella used a national televised address to deliver a stark assessment of Colombia's public finances, declaring the country is 'al borde del abismo' and placing the blame squarely on his predecessor, Gustavo Petro. The speech, delivered on September 13 and continuing to frame political debate as of this week, marked the end of his first month in office.
De la Espriella claimed that the outgoing Petro administration committed approximately 10 trillion pesos in spending in just one week before leaving power, a figure he presented as evidence of fiscal recklessness. He framed his own economic agenda around austerity and what he described as the correction of inherited imbalances.
The address has intensified the political divide between supporters of the new government and backers of the Historic Pact. De la Espriella, who won the June runoff with about 43.7 percent of the vote, was inaugurated on August 7 and has moved quickly to position fiscal discipline as the centerpiece of his administration.
Reportado por El Paisa, nuestro corresponsal colombiano.