Colombia's New Government Prepares Fossil Fuel Comeback
On 21st June, conservative Trump-endorsed candidate Abelardo de la Espriella won Colombia's presidential election by a narrow 1% margin over socialist Iván Cepeda. He will be sworn in on 7th August, signaling a sharp reversal of outgoing leftist President Gustavo Petro's policies. Petro had championed a green energy transition, increasing renewable capacity from 200 to 3,600 MW and reducing fossil fuel dependence. De la Espriella, known as 'The Tiger,' has pledged to exploit fossil fuels fully, redirect state oil company Ecopetrol toward hydrocarbons, and loosen environmental regulations. He also plans to emulate El Salvador's tough-on-crime approach with mega-prisons. The shift comes as Colombia's deficit hit 6.4% in 2025 and oil, gas, and coal contribute about 5% of GDP. However, Colombia holds only 0.1% of global proven oil reserves, and oil-producing regions like Barrancabermeja overwhelmingly opposed De la Espriella due to environmental concerns. Former environment minister Susana Muhamad expects the new government to repeat the 'mining locomotive' model of previous administrations, with likely influence from President Trump.
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