De la Espriella Set to Take Colombia’s Presidency

• Far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella won Colombia’s June 21 presidential runoff, and his win is now widely reported as confirmed ahead of his August 7 inauguration.
• De la Espriella was endorsed by United States President Donald Trump, continuing a regional pattern of pro-Trump candidates defeating leftists across Latin America.
• His win is expected to reverse much of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s agenda, including Petro’s peace talks with armed groups and his decision to sever ties with Israel over the war in Gaza.

Nvidia Slashes Asian Buyer List in Chip Crackdown

• Nvidia has cut by more than half the number of Asian customers authorized to buy its AI chips after tougher compliance checks in Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan.
• The new white list aims to prevent chips from reaching China through third countries, with Nvidia staff inspecting data centers, verifying contracts, and interviewing end users.
• The move comes after intensifying US pressure on chip transshipment and Beijing’s continued difficulty securing advanced semiconductors.

China Denies Seeking Pacific “Sphere of Influence”

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Solomon Islands counterpart that Beijing does not seek a sphere of influence in the Pacific and that cooperation comes without political conditions.
• The remarks followed regional criticism of China’s South Pacific missile test and came alongside pledges to expand cooperation in green energy, healthcare, and climate.
• Days earlier, Australian PM Anthony Albanese and Fiji’s PM Sitiveni Rabuka signed an “Ocean of Peace” alliance.

China Deepens North Korea Ties as Visits Continue

• Chinese state media announced that Wang Huning, the PRC’s fourth-ranking official and top ideologue, would make a “goodwill visit” to North Korea from July 15 through 17.
• This marks the third major PRC-North Korea state visit in 2026, following the Xi–Kim summit on June 8 and 9, signaling a warming after a tense 2024.
• In parallel, South Korean, US, and Japanese military chiefs reaffirmed their cooperation against North Korea.

Former South Korean President Receives New Prison Sentence

• A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to two years in prison on July 13 after finding him guilty of illegally receiving opinion-polling services worth 270 million won (about $179,800) from a political broker.
• The ruling came days after South Korea’s Supreme Court on July 9 upheld a seven-year sentence for Yoon over his obstruction of authorities’ attempts to arrest him following his short-lived 2024 martial law declaration.