Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader arrived in Cali, Colombia, on Friday morning to attend the official presidential handover ceremony of Abelardo de la Espriella.
Abinader landed at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport at 10:40 a.m. local time on August 7, 2026. He received full military honors upon stepping off the aircraft in western Colombia.
A delegation of Colombian and Dominican officials greeted the president on the tarmac. The welcoming committee included Dominican Republic Ambassador to Colombia Félix Aracena, Director of Strategy and Government Communication Félix Reyna, and Colombian protocol ambassador Raúl Sánchez, alongside additional civil and military authorities.
Dominican Republic Minister of Foreign Affairs Roberto Álvarez accompanied Abinader on the official trip. The delegation traveled to Colombia following a formal invitation aimed at strengthening bilateral diplomatic relations and cooperation between the two nations.
Inauguration at Santiago de Cali University
The official swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Arena USC, located on the campus of the Universidad Santiago de Cali. During the event, Abelardo de la Espriella will formally assume the Constitutional Presidency of the Republic of Colombia.
Cali, the capital of Colombia's Valle del Cauca department, is the primary economic and urban hub in southwestern Colombia. Universidad Santiago de Cali is one of the region's principal higher education institutions, established in 1958.
Bilateral meetings and official schedule
Before the main ceremony begins, Abinader is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings with visiting heads of state and other invited high-ranking international dignitaries in Cali.
The Dominican leader will also participate in an official protocol greeting hosted by President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella and his wife, Ana Lucía Pineda. The greeting will welcome visiting heads of state, heads of government, vice presidents, and other official delegations attending the inauguration.
Return to Santo Domingo
Following the conclusion of the inauguration activities in Cali, Abinader and the official delegation are scheduled to return to the Dominican Republic on Friday night, August 7.
The Dominican Republic and Colombia maintain long-standing diplomatic relations and cooperate closely on regional trade, security, and political affairs across Latin America and the Caribbean.
