Colombia's President Abelardo De La Espriella has taken the oath of office in Cali. (AP PHOTO)Colombia's President Abelardo De La Espriella has taken the oath of office in Cali. An ally of US President Donald Trump, De La Espriella represented well-known right-wing paramilitaries during his time as a lawyer. In one of his first acts as president, Colombia would join the Shield of the Americas program founded by Trump, De La Espriella said. "I want to tell Colombia's business leaders, large, medium-sized and small, that this government will be your partner in investing in Colombia," De La Espriella said.