De la Espriella Pledges to Restore Israel Ties Amid Colombia's Election Interference Allegations

Abelardo de la Espriella pledged to restore ties with Israel after speaking with Israeli officials, as President Gustavo Petro alleges Israeli and U.S. interference in Colombia's election.

Colombia, PUREWILAYAH.COM – Colombia’s president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has pledged to restore and strengthen diplomatic relations with Israel, signaling a sharp reversal of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s foreign policy as Petro continues to allege Israeli and U.S. interference in the country’s presidential election.

Following a congratulatory phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, De la Espriella declared that Colombia would restore ties with Israel “like never before.” His announcement came while Petro maintained that the election had been compromised through foreign digital interference and called for a judicial investigation into the results.

President-Elect Moves to Restore Israel Ties

In a public exchange on social media, De la Espriella thanked Gideon Saar for his congratulations and pledged to rebuild what he described as a strategic partnership with Israel.

“Colombia will restore and strengthen its relationship with the State of Israel like never before. Israel can count on Colombia as a loyal friend and steadfast ally,” he wrote.

The pledge would reverse Petro’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Israel in May 2024 over its genocidal campaign in Gaza. His administration later suspended coal exports, halted military procurement from Israel, expelled Israeli diplomats, and terminated the bilateral free trade agreement.

Throughout his campaign, De la Espriella also promised to deepen strategic cooperation with both Israel and the United States, including expanding security and defense ties.

Petro Continues to Challenge Election Results

While the incoming administration prepares to reshape Colombia’s foreign policy, Petro has continued to reject the election outcome, alleging that Israel and the United States interfered in the presidential race through digital manipulation.

According to Petro, changes in the IP addresses of servers operated by the National Registry indicate that election software was compromised and voting data may have been altered. He also said his administration’s requests for an independent technical audit of the electoral system had been ignored before the vote.

Petro further alleged that the manipulation involved Colombia’s election contractor, Thomas Greg & Sons, which has managed the country’s electoral logistics and vote-counting systems for more than a decade.

Attorney General Gregorio Eljach rejected the allegations, stating that authorities had found no evidence of electoral fraud after more than 99 percent of the ballots had been counted.

A Sharp Foreign Policy Shift

De la Espriella’s victory marks a major change in Colombia’s foreign policy after four years under Petro, whose government became one of the strongest critics of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Petro was among the first world leaders to accuse Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinian people, arguing that the military campaign aimed to expel Palestinians from Gaza. His government responded by progressively downgrading and ultimately severing diplomatic relations with Israel.

The president-elect has pledged to reverse those policies immediately upon taking office in August, positioning Colombia once again as a close partner of both Israel and the United States.

The political transition comes as Colombia remains deeply divided over the presidential election, with Petro continuing to seek an investigation into the electoral process while the incoming administration prepares to restore relations with Israel after more than two years of diplomatic rupture. (PW)