Conservative outsider Abelardo De La Espriella recently prevailed in the second round of Colombia’s presidential election. De La Espriella campaigned on confronting narco-terrorist groups, reviving the economy, and curbing corruption and runaway government spending. His narrow victory over Ivan Cepeda, Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s ideological ally and preferred successor, hands Washington a rare chance to revitalize one of its most important partnerships in the Western Hemisphere.

The U.S.-Colombia partnership has atrophied under Petro. The country is South America’s third-largest economy and one of the few on the continent that still counts America, not China, as its largest trading partner. Yet amid slowing growth, Petro has actively sought closer ties with Beijing, joining the Belt and Road Initiative in 2025. Colombian security forces are some of the most capable in the hemisphere after significant U.S. investments in training and security assistance under Plan Colombia. But under Petro, security has worsened significantly.