Colombia’s new right-wing president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella said Wednesday that his country and Israel will share a relationship “like never before” once he takes office.

De la Espriella won Sunday’s runoff presidential vote by less than a percentage point and has promised to strengthen the South American country’s ties to the United States and Israel.

Bogota’s relations with Jerusalem nosedived under Colombia’s first-ever leftist government led by President Gustavo Petro, an ardent critic of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which he has cast as a genocide — a charge vehemently denied by Israel.

Petro severed diplomatic ties, halted coal exports and suspended the purchase of weaponry from Israel — formerly one of Colombia’s main military partners. Colombia had long depended on Israel for military hardware that includes assault rifles, intelligence equipment and even fighter jets.

De la Espriella has said he will reverse these decisions, and one of his main campaign pledges was to “renew a strategic alliance with the State of Israel,” open an embassy in Jerusalem, and “defend the Judeo-Christian principles that form the foundation of Western civilization.”

“Colombia will restore and strengthen its relationship with the State of Israel like never before,” the millionaire lawyer posted on X following a phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

Thank you, my dear friend. Colombia will restore and strengthen its relationship with the State of Israel like never before. Israel can count on Colombia as a loyal........

© The Times of Israel