Abelardo De La Espriella Ranks Among Latin America’s Top Leaders as Approval Tops 50% in Colombia

Just over a month after taking office as president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella ranks among Latin America’s most positively viewed leaders. In September 2026, he recorded a 53.6% positive image rating, placing him third in a ranking compiled by CB Global Data, behind Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

The result marks an improvement from August, when De la Espriella ranked fourth. In the latest survey, 36.1% of respondents described their view of him as “very good,” while another 17.5% rated it as “good.” Meanwhile, 41.6% expressed a negative view. Sheinbaum led the ranking with a 69% positive image rating, followed by Bukele at 66.2%. Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori ranked immediately behind De la Espriella at 52.4%, just 1.2 percentage points below the Colombian president.

CB Global Data conducted the survey between Sept. 7 and 11 across 18 Latin American countries, with samples ranging from 3,225 to 4,271 respondents in each country and average margins of error between 1.5 and 1.7 percentage points. The ranking compares how each president is viewed within their own country rather than asking a single regional pool of respondents to evaluate all of the leaders.

The result is broadly consistent with another poll published days earlier. The Latam Pulse survey by AtlasIntel for Bloomberg recorded a 51.8% approval rating for De la Espriella, compared with 43.2% disapproval, at the end of his first month in office. In that poll, 54% of respondents expressed a positive view of the president, while 52.8% rated the national administration as excellent or good. AtlasIntel surveyed 1,904 people between Aug. 30 and Sept. 3 and reported a margin of error of 2 percentage points.

The two polling firms use different methodologies and questions, meaning their results are not directly comparable. Both surveys, however, recorded positive ratings above 50% for De la Espriella during his first month in office.

Security and corruption among top public concerns

The AtlasIntel survey also provides insight into the issues concerning Colombians during the opening weeks of the new administration.

Corruption was identified as one of the country’s main problems by 50.5% of respondents, while insecurity and drug trafficking were cited by 48.7%. The state of the health care system was cited by 40.9%. At the same time, 48% said they considered it highly likely that major fraud or corruption schemes would come to light over the next six months.

Since taking office on Aug. 7, De la Espriella has made public security, counter-narcotics policy, spending restraint, and anti-corruption measures priorities of his administration. In August, the government delivered a so-called “White Paper” to the Attorney General’s Office, Inspector General’s Office, and Comptroller General’s Office containing information about alleged irregularities identified in the previous administration. The Presidency has presented the initiative as part of its efforts to strengthen oversight and scrutinize public spending. The allegations must still be examined by the relevant authorities and do not, by themselves, constitute proof of wrongdoing.

On security, the administration has also sought to distinguish its approach from that of the previous government. According to figures released by the Presidency, security forces reported nearly 15,000 arrests during the administration’s first month, along with the neutralization of 23 leaders of criminal organizations, the seizure of roughly 50 tons of narcotics, and the eradication of more than 1,300 hectares of coca crops. Days later, De la Espriella said arrests had surpassed 17,000 within his first 36 days in office and that he had signed 73 extradition orders.

The figures were reported by the government and reflect operational results cited by authorities rather than an independent assessment of Colombia’s overall security situation.

Crime, drug trafficking, and corruption therefore rank prominently both in the government’s early agenda and among the concerns identified by respondents. However, the available surveys do not directly ask respondents which government actions influenced their views of De la Espriella, making it difficult to determine whether particular policies contributed to his ratings.

The AtlasIntel results also vary significantly across demographic groups. De la Espriella recorded some of his highest approval ratings among respondents ages 45 to 59, at 61.4%, and in the Central region, at 56%. Among respondents ages 18 to 24, however, approval fell to 29.7%, while disapproval reached 65.2%.

Approval also differed sharply by voting preference. Among respondents who voted for De la Espriella, approval stood at 95%, compared with 3.3% among those who backed Iván Cepeda. Approval reached 74.9% among respondents who said they did not vote in the presidential election.

The results show significant differences in the president’s early standing based on age, electoral preference, region, and other demographic factors.

A renewed relationship with the US is also shaping the early weeks

Another defining feature of the new government has been the speed with which Colombia has rebuilt political and security ties with the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Barranquilla on Sept. 8 highlighted the closer relationship between the two administrations and included discussions on military cooperation, counter-narcotics policy, trade, intelligence, and technological equipment.

Rubio expressed Washington’s interest in strengthening its security relationship with Colombia and confirmed that the two countries were discussing cooperation, equipment needs, and intelligence sharing. De la Espriella, for his part, said Colombia would seek to reestablish itself as a key U.S. partner on hemispheric security and raised the possibility of support in areas including drones, radar systems, aircraft, counter-drone technology, intelligence, and tools to combat money laundering.

The approach marks a shift from the frequent diplomatic tensions that characterized relations between the governments of Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump. Under De la Espriella, the rebuilding of bilateral ties has established a clear foreign-policy direction early in his presidency. The rapprochement has also generated debate over sovereignty, military cooperation, and the extent to which Colombia should align itself with Washington.

The shift comes as the government faces a difficult fiscal environment. Congress approved a COP 634.9 trillion budget for 2027 (approximately US$206.6 billion), while official projections place the fiscal deficit at 9.4% of GDP. The administration has announced plans to introduce a reform called the “Rescue Law” aimed at cutting spending and reducing the projected deficit.

Despite the government’s favorable ratings, the polls show that economic concerns remain significant. According to AtlasIntel, 51% of respondents consider the country’s current economic situation poor, while 55% have a negative view of the labor market. At the same time, about half expect conditions in the country to improve over the next six months. The results show that positive ratings for the new administration are accompanied by dissatisfaction with current economic conditions and some optimism about the months ahead.

Early ratings come with longer-term tests ahead

De la Espriella’s standing in the polls comes too early in his presidency to provide a definitive assessment of his administration. Many of the government’s proposed reforms are only beginning the legislative process, while several major policy decisions have not yet been in place long enough to produce measurable long-term economic, social, or security effects.

The early stage of the administration is also important when interpreting the results. New governments can benefit from heightened media attention and public expectations of change, while voters outside a president’s core electorate may be willing to give an administration time to produce results. In Colombia, AtlasIntel found that 74.9% of respondents who said they did not vote in the presidential election currently approve of De la Espriella.

Two surveys using different methodologies have also produced broadly similar results. CB Global Data records a 53.6% positive image rating, while AtlasIntel places De la Espriella’s approval at 51.8% and his positive image at 54%. The results measure somewhat different things and should not be directly compared, but both surveys recorded positive ratings above 50% during the opening weeks of his presidency.

Whether those ratings will continue as the administration implements its agenda remains unclear. Public security, anti-corruption measures, economic management, and relations with the United States have emerged as major priorities of the new government. At the same time, the polling points to concerns about employment, health care, the economy, and crime.

For now, De la Espriella ranks near the top of CB Global Data’s latest survey of Latin American presidents, while AtlasIntel separately records majority approval during his first month in office. The figures provide an early snapshot of public opinion rather than an indication of how Colombians will assess the administration as its policies take effect.