BOGOTÁ – Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has pledged to take an aggressive approach against organized crime by targeting not only criminal suspects but also the financial and operational structures that sustain criminal organizations.
Speaking during the Urban Security Summit, De la Espriella said his administration's security strategy will focus on dismantling criminal networks rather than simply arresting individual offenders.
According to the president-elect, his government will prioritize disrupting the financial foundations of organized crime by targeting money laundering operations, recruitment networks and corruption schemes that enable criminal groups to operate.
"Our objective is not only to capture criminals, but to completely dismantle the organizations behind them," De la Espriella said.
He argued that weakening the economic power of criminal organizations is essential to reducing their operational capacity and restoring government control over affected territories.
The president-elect said his administration intends to pursue the financial assets and support networks that sustain organized crime, while strengthening efforts to combat corruption that facilitates illegal activities.
De la Espriella maintained that dismantling these criminal structures will be a key component of his government's broader strategy to improve public security and reinforce the rule of law throughout Colombia.
The remarks come as Colombia continues to face challenges from organized crime groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, extortion, money laundering and other illicit activities. De la Espriella has made public security one of the central priorities of his incoming administration.