Colombia’s opposition announces criminal charges against De la Espriella over ties to drug traffickers : Colombia’s opposition leader, senator Ian Cepeda, accused President Abelardo de la Espriella of leading an agrarian counter-reform designed to benefit land-owning clans and convicted drug traffickers. During a congressional debate, Cepeda claimed that De la Espriella put allies of drug traffickers and paramilitaries in charge of key state institutions responsible for land distribution and asset forfeiture. The president and his appointees are part of a revolving door system of people who, before being appointed to government positions, defended the interests of drug traffickers and paramilitaries associated with De la Espriella and his businesses, according to the opposition leader. For example, the president put Diana Patrica Bravo, a former prosecutor and partner at his law firm De la Espriella Lawyers, in charge of The Society of Special Assets (SAE), which controls...