US President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, a right-wing lawyer, who will face leftist senator Ivan Cepeda in this month’s second round of elections.
‘The results of this election are very important for the future of Colombia and its relationship with the United States,’ Trump said in a post on social media.
De la Espriella and Cepeda will go to the presidential runoff in June, after a close vote in the first round. De la Espriella, who has never held elected office, received almost 44% of the vote, while Cepeda, a longtime senator and activist, received less than 41%.
De la Espriella’s personal style and policy proposals — including tough rhetoric against illegal armed groups and a promise to build 10 mega-prisons — have drawn comparisons to El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele.
‘The United States plays a crucial role in fighting crime and narco-terrorism and in finally freeing Colombia from so much pain and violence,’ said De la Espriella in a video interview shared on social media, adding that he and Trump ‘share values and principles in defense of democracy, in defense of freedom and in defense of the rule of law.’
Left-wing Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who has a tumultuous relationship with the US leader, criticized Trump’s endorsement of right-wing candidate De la Espriella in a post on Tuesday night.
Continues after advertising
‘When a country interferes in the decisions of another country, freedom dies,’ said Petro.
