President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella and mayors of Colombia's capital cities have agreed to a joint plan to combat urban insecurity and extortion.

The agreement marks a significant shift toward coordinated national and local governance to address rising violent crime in the country's most populous hubs. By aligning the central government with municipal leadership, the administration aims to synchronize police deployment and resource allocation.

During a meeting organized by the association Asocapitales in early July, the president-elect announced the creation of the Bloque de Defensa para la Seguridad Urbana [1]. This initiative focuses on reducing homicides and extortion by redistributing police forces based on population density and specific crime rates [1, 2]. The plan also involves coordinating actions regarding transportation, infrastructure, and shared resources [1].

“Crearé un Bloque de Defensa para la Seguridad Urbana que coordinará acciones contra la extorsión y la inseguridad en nuestras ciudades,” De la Espriella said [2].

The strategy has garnered support from the mayors of 32 departmental capital cities [3]. Leaders from Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, and Barranquilla are among those participating in the effort. Federico Gutiérrez said the block will allow the cities to reduce homicides and extortion [4].

In Barranquilla, Mayor Alejandro Char expressed optimism about the new partnership. “Con el nuevo Gobierno la capital del Atlántico dejará de sentirse sola,” Char said [5].

While some reports emphasize the political alignment between the mayors and the president-elect [3], others describe the initiative as a technical security operation [4]. De la Espriella intends to formalize the plan via a decree that he will sign upon assuming office on Aug. 7, 2026 [2].

““Crearé un Bloque de Defensa para la Seguridad Urbana que coordinará acciones contra la extorsión y la inseguridad en nuestras ciudades.””

The formation of the Bloque de Defensa para la Seguridad Urbana suggests a move toward a more centralized, military-style coordination of urban policing in Colombia. By integrating the mayors of 32 capital cities into a single strategic framework, the incoming administration is attempting to eliminate the jurisdictional friction that often hampers responses to organized crime and extortion in major metropolitan areas.