Strengthened U.S.–Colombia tiesJoining the Shield: De la Espriella said that on his first day in office Colombia will join Trump’s regional security bloc known as the Shield of the Americas. In another sign of his decentralization push, he proposed that Colombia’s operations as part of this bloc would operate out of Medellín. Senior-level meetings with State: Members of De la Espriella’s cabinet, including Vice President-elect José Manuel Restrepo, visited Washington in mid-July, meeting with figures such as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation. As that plan develops, De la Espriella has been clear that he will not resume the security policies of Petro that include negotiations, ceasefires, and concessions. U.S. delegation in Cali: Humire will be part of the U.S. delegation traveling to Colombia to attend De la Espriella’s inauguration.