cocaine production

Colombia’s voters elected right-wing businessman Abelardo de la Espriella, endorsed by Donald Trump, in a presidential runoff, ending left-wing rule. De la Espriella proposed bombing gang-held areas and building El Salvador-style megaprisons, while his opponent, senator Iván Cepeda, supported continuing peace negotiations. Latin America has seen a rightward shift as governments address violence linked to cocaine production, with Mexico under Washington pressure adopting military tactics against cartels.

Colombia signed a peace deal, but cocaine production tripled. Leftwing rebels have been replaced by gangsters selling increased amounts of drugs to Europe and Asia.