US pledges $1bn support to Colombia as Trump-backed president sworn in

The US has pledged £1bn in assistance to Colombia, after the country's new right-wing president was sworn in on Friday.

Trump ally Abelardo de la Espriella used his maiden speech to promise an "all-out war" on what he calls "narco-terrorism".

In a statement hailing a "new era in US-Colombia relations", the US state department announced the financial support as part of a "security package" to help de la Espriella achieve "our shared goals", which include fighting organised crime and illegal immigration.

The new president's inauguration marks a dramatic shift to the right for Colombia, as he replaces the left-wing former leader Gustavo Petro, who frequently clashed with Trump.

Trump endorsed de la Espriella during the election, and said he predicted a "much better relationship" with his new counterpart after his victory in June.

A US delegation led by then-acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has since been confirmed to the post , attended the inauguration. It was also attended by embattled Fifa president Gianni Infantino .

De la Espriella chose to take the oath of office not in Colombia's capital, Bogotá, but in the volatile city of Cali, in the west. The change was intended to signal a tough approach to illegal armed groups operating in the region.

In his fiery maiden speech - addressing troops at a nearby military base - de la Espriella pledged to crush armed insurgents, rebuild Colombia and defend democracy "by reason or by force".