Colombia president-elect De La Espriella taps Lara as interior minister

BOGOTA, June 26 - Colombia's president-elect Abelardo De La Espriella on Friday said former congressman Rodrigo Lara will serve as interior minister in his administration, tasked with managing the government's relationship with a deeply divided congress.

Lara, 51, is a lawyer and former senator from the Cambio Radical party and was described by De La Espriella as an "anti-corruption tsar" in a post on social media announcing the appointment.

De La Espriella, who won the presidency with a right-wing platform and presented himself as a political "outsider," will need to form a coalition to push his reforms through.

De La Espriella will need lawmakers' backing to carry out many of his pledges, including reviving the oil industry, cracking down on armed groups and shrinking the size of the state, but his political movement has just five seats.

The leftist Historic Pact party holds more seats than any other in both legislative chambers, though no party holds a majority.

Lara's role will be key to building bridges with centrist and right-wing factions, negotiating the new administration’s legislative agenda, and attempting to push through De La Espriella's key bills.

The president-elect has promised to strengthen security, combat drug trafficking and illegal armed groups, and revitalize the mining and energy sector — initiatives that will require legislative support.

However, the lack of his own solid congressional bloc and De La Espriella's decision to run without formal party backing could force his government to negotiate with Congress on a case-by-case basis, according to analysts.

The new government will take office on August 7. REUTERS