Far-right presidential candidate Abelardo De la Espriella unveiled one of his most controversial proposals in an interview with local outlet RCN: deploying the army to the streets to confront insecurity. “I’m going to send the army out onto the streets,” he said, reinforcing his usual tough-on-crime rhetoric in the middle of the campaign.
His remarks come shortly after a failed interview in which he stood up and ended the conversation when he was questioned about the DMG scandal and his role as a lawyer for David Murcia Guzman.
The episode, which has been used by various sectors to question the campaign of what has so far been the leading right-wing candidate, once again put De la Espriella under pressure, prompting him to double down on a no-compromise security approach.
His government plan, called “Miracle Homeland” (Patria Milagro, in Spanish), includes unusual commitments: He will not receive a presidential salary, will not travel outside Colombia during his term, and will establish a rotating unified command post across the country’s 32 departments.
‘I will deploy the army to the streets,’ Colombian candidate De la Espriella says
During the interview, De la Espriella made it clear that his absolute priority is security. His idea of sending the army into the streets aims, he explained, to reclaim urban territories controlled by criminal gangs and to reinforce the state’s presence in areas where the police have been overwhelmed.
The proposal would mark a significant shift in the current internal security approach, transferring traditionally police functions to the military.
In this vein, the candidate has insisted that Colombia needs a frontal offensive against organized crime, with no room for negotiations with armed groups. Along those lines, he has proposed the use of bombing against illegal structures, the resumption of aerial fumigation of illicit crops, and the strengthening of international military alliances.
His platform also includes the construction of new prisons, tougher sentencing, and a zero-tolerance policy toward crimes such as extortion and drug trafficking. These proposals fit into a broader narrative that presents security as a prerequisite for economic growth and investment.
Another recurring point in De la Espriella’s discourse is his rejection of any peace process with guerrillas or criminal structures. He has been especially critical of the government’s dialogue policies, which he blames for an alleged strengthening of illegal groups.
In his view, the state must recover the monopoly on force without concessions — despite the fact that it has not clearly held it in recent decades. This would involve not only more aggressive military operations, but also a review of instruments such as transitional justice, even though it remains a binding state agreement following the peace deal signed with the now-defunct FARC a decade ago. The candidate has even proposed shutting down these mechanisms, considering them a form of impunity.
This approach places him on the hardline end of Colombia’s political spectrum. For his critics, it is a strategy that could intensify the conflict; for his supporters, it is the only way to restore order.
Economy and a reduced state
Beyond security, the candidate also outlined some of his economic proposals in the interview. He advocates a significant reduction in the size of the state — by 40% — with deep cuts to the public sector and lower taxes to stimulate private investment.
His plan also includes reviving sectors such as oil and mining, boosting infrastructure, and promoting economic growth. All of this, he argues, would only be possible in a strengthened security environment.
In this regard, his program envisions activating what he called “the five engines of the economy”: hydrocarbons (including fracking), infrastructure, tourism, agribusiness, and technology.
In parallel, he has proposed measures such as sanctions on financial institutions that do not facilitate access to credit and programs to replace illicit crops with legal products. These initiatives aim to broaden his message beyond public order, although always subordinated to his main axis: security.
Additionally, in a surprising decision that has been questioned by his opponents, De la Espriella also announced that he would appoint U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a special adviser on international and economic policy.
With all of this, he said, “We will grow between 6% and 7%,” which would allow his eventual government to implement a tax reform to lower corporate taxes.
The shadow of the DMG scandal
The statements on RCN come just days after the contentious interview that ended abruptly with journalist Melquisedec Torres. In that episode, the candidate chose to stand up and end the conversation when asked about his ties to the DMG case and his role as David Murcia’s lawyer.
The issue remains one of the most sensitive points in his trajectory. De la Espriella served as defense counsel for the creator of the DMG financial pyramid scheme, a scandal that affected thousands of savers in Colombia and continues to have political repercussions.
In the middle of the campaign, Murcia himself has reentered the public debate with accusations against his former lawyer, reigniting the controversy surrounding the candidacy, despite De la Espriella’s repeated statements that he was misled by his client.
Nevertheless, the candidate’s reaction — walking out of the interview with Torres when questioned on the matter — has been interpreted by his critics as a sign of discomfort with his professional past, which could cost him support at a time when the prospects of his rival within the right, Paloma Valencia, are clearly on the rise.
Meanwhile, as Valencia appears to be seeking support in the center-right — largely thanks to her vice-presidential running mate Juan Daniel Oviedo — De la Espriella maintains a polarizing discourse that reinforces his clearly right-wing positions, with little room for other political options.
Atentos.
Aquí toda la #Indagatoria al candidato presidencial @ABDELAESPRIELLA
Preguntas de frente, a fondo, sin rodeos.https://t.co/L2HTuiM4IA
— Melquisedec Torres (@Melquisedec70) March 31, 2026
‘Alvaro Uribe’s rebellious son’
Regarding his relationship with former president Alvaro Uribe and his party, the Democratic Center — which backs Senator Paloma Valencia’s presidential bid — De la Espriella described himself as “the rebellious son,” maintaining a cordial but independent relationship with his “father.”
He also criticized his main rival within the right, candidate Valencia, for “creating rifts” within the party base due to contradictory positions between her and her running mate, Juan Daniel Oviedo, who, in addition to belonging to the LGBTQ+ community, presents himself as a centrist who supports maintaining the state commitments made in the 2016 Peace Agreement.
Finally, in response to direct questions from the outlet, De la Espriella — who, despite remaining in contention, is losing ground to Valencia in the polls — ruled out closing Congress, seeking reelection, or banning abortion.
On adoption by same-sex couples, he expressed his personal opposition, although he acknowledged that it is legally approved. He also once again confirmed that he would extradite current President Gustavo Petro if requested by the United States and would crack down on violent protests, returning to the confrontational policing initiatives seen on the streets in past years.