YPA Cafecito: Colombian Elections Debrief

On June 21, Colombians narrowly elected Abelardo de la Espriella as their next president, marking a shift in the country's political and economic direction after four years under President Gustavo Petro. With the closest presidential result in decades, the transition raises important questions about Colombia's macroeconomic outlook, fiscal policy, investment climate, security, and its relationship with the United States.

Join Young Professionals of the Americas for an off-the-record roundtable, moderated by Colombian American lawyer and YPA Steering Committee member Mateo Hoyos, to explore what the election means for Colombia's future. In an intimate, conversational setting, analysts Leticia Ossa Daza, Will Freeman, and Antonio Leal Holguín will lead a discussion on the implications for economic policy, investor confidence, fiscal priorities, and the business environment, as well as how the new administration may approach security, trade, and U.S.-Colombia relations. Bring your questions and join the conversation.

The conversation will be followed by a drinks reception.

This event will be both in-person and streamed. For in-person attendance, members receive complimentary access to this event, while non-member tickets are $10. Virtual attendance is free.

Register.

Speakers:

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Leticia Ossa Daza is one of the most recognized cross-border dealmakers in the Americas. For over two decades, she has advised leading international and domestic clients on complex mergers and acquisitions and high-stakes corporate transactions spanning multiple jurisdictions, with deep expertise in financial institutions, technology, infrastructure, and consumer goods.

Leticia's distinction in the field has earned her an exceptional breadth of recognition. Latinvex named her to its "Top 100 Lawyers" and "Top 100 Female Lawyers" in Latin America for excellence in Corporate/M&A, and Crain's New York Business honored her among its "2023 Notable Women in Law." The Legal 500 included her on its "Private Practice Powerlist" as a leading U.S. attorney focused on Mexico, while Lawyers of Color named her to its "Law Firm Leaders" list. Lawdragon recognized her as one of the "100 Lawyers You Need to Know in South America" and one of the "500 Leading Dealmakers in America." She has also been celebrated as one of four LatinoJustice "Latina Trailblazers" and received the Women Together Award from the International Committee of Women Together for excellence in banking and international finance — an honor that earned her a profile in the leading Colombian business publication Portafolio Magazine. 

Beyond her practice, Leticia is deeply engaged in leadership and civic life. She is an active member of YPO (Young Presidents' Organization), serves on the Advisory Board of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council, and sits on the Board of Directors of Glasswing International. A native of Colombia, Leticia brings a rare global fluency to every engagement, conducting business in English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.

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Will Freeman is a fellow for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). His work focuses on the rule of law, corruption and organized crime in Latin America, as well as U.S.-Latin America relations. His writing has appeared in Foreign Affairs, the New York Times, the Financial Times, Americas Quarterly, the Economist, the Journal of Democracy, and the Washington Post. Prior to joining CFR, Dr. Freeman was a Fulbright-Hays Scholar in Colombia, Peru, and Guatemala, where he researched judiciaries’ efforts to sanction grand corruption. During his graduate studies, Dr. Freeman also worked with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Western Hemisphere subcommittee. He holds a PhD and MA in politics from Princeton University and a BA in political science from Tufts University. 

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Antonio Leal Holguín is a policy advisor with over 15 years of experience as a lawyer and consultant focused on Latin America. He provides strategic advice to clients operating or investing in the region and to Latin American companies doing business in the United States. Antonio also supports the firm’s business development in Latin America. Antonio has advised life sciences, technology, financial services, manufacturing, transportation, and private equity firms on matters related to Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, and other countries in Latin America. Antonio previously practiced law in Colombia, where he advised domestic and international clients, as well as national and local government agencies. He is admitted to practice law in Colombia and New York and is a native Spanish speaker. At Covington, he acts in a policy advisor and not a legal capacity.

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