De la Espriella assumed the Presidency on August 7, 2026, in a ceremony held in Cali. Since taking office, the president has given prominent importance to religious references in his speeches. During the inauguration ceremony, he stated that he would govern with "God at the center," and the ceremony included interventions from representatives of different religious denominations.
The earthquake, measuring 7.4 according to reports cited by media covering the emergency, became one of the new Government's first major challenges. In his message, De la Espriella presented the tragedy as a test for the country and called on Colombians to stay united and participate in the reconstruction. His words sparked criticism on social media. Activist Beto Coral questioned the president for attributing the disaster to a divine decision and recalled previous statements where De la Espriella had expressed disbelief in what reason could not explain. Coral believed that religious discourse should not be used to explain a natural tragedy or as a political tool. The president's statement thus sparked a new debate on the role of religion in his Government and on how authorities should communicate a tragedy of this magnitude.