‘All nations have to make a decision whether they want to do business with the U.S. or China,’ Morris said.
On Wednesday, Nate Morris, who has been nominated as the U.S. ambassador to Colombia, announced that President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella had informed the United States of his “commitment” to withdraw from the Belt and Road Initiative.
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“All nations have to make a decision whether they want to do business with the United States or China,” Morris said during a hearing before the U.S. Senate.
In May 2025, outgoing President Gustavo Petro signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China for Colombia to join the Belt and Road Initiative, which would allow the South American country to gain access to infrastructure, trade, investment, and technology.
Far-right politician De la Espriella will assume Colombia’s presidency on Aug. 7, a date on which Colombia’s multilateral project will give way to the hegemonic aspirations of the United States.
The incoming Colombian president has promised to align himself with Washington after years of tension between U.S. President Donald Trump and Petro, who prevented his country from being subordinated to the new version of the Monroe Doctrine.
The United States is seeking to consolidate its influence in Latin America and curb the expansion of China’s presence in the region. To that end, the Trump administration also pressured Panama not to renew its Belt and Road MoU with China.
.@NateMorris’s opening statement this morning to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee which is considering his nomination by @realDonaldTrump to be Ambassador to Colombia — pic.twitter.com/EvGgWJamJf
— Dan Bayens (@danbayens) August 5, 2026
Presidential Inauguration to Take Place in Cali
Currently, a large contingent of Colombian soldiers and police officers is deployed in Comuna 18, a neighborhood considered strategically important for the security of De la Espriella’s inauguration ceremony, which will be held at the Santiago de Cali University.
“These are preventive security measures to ensure that the inauguration takes place without incident, as we have deployed all of our capabilities throughout the city,” said Lt. Jennifer Rojas Rodriguez of the Army’s Anti-Extortion and Kidnapping Unit.
The security operation includes about 11,000 members of the police, the Army, and the Aerospace Force, who are responsible for securing the city, major roads, airspace, surrounding hills and the venue where the presidential inauguration will take place.
The ceremony will be attended by Spain’s King Felipe VI and presidents Javier Milei (Argentina), Daniel Noboa (Ecuador), Santiago Peña (Paraguay), Laura Fernandez (Costa Rica), Jose Mulino (Panama), Luis Abinader (Dominican Republic); Jose Kast (Chile), and Nasry Asfura (Honduras).
El Salvador and Guatemala will be represented by their vice presidents, Felix Ulloa and Karin Herrera, respectively. Also attending will be Curacao Prime Minister Gilmar Pisa, representing the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the foreign ministers of Brazil, Mauro Vieira, and Israel, Gideon Sa’ar; and a large U.S. delegation.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
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