Trump-Backed Candidate Tops Presidential Polls in Closely Fought Colombian Election

A right-wing lawyer, Abelardo de la Espriella, looks set to become the next president of Colombia, extending a winning streak by Trump-endorsed conservative candidates in elections across Latin America. On Sunday, Mr. de la Espriella, nicknamed “The Tiger,” topped the polls with 49.7 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results of a run-off election. His left-wing opponent, Ivan Cepeda, who was supported by Colombia’s outgoing president, Gustavo Petro, got 48.7 percent of the vote. “I appear before you tonight to announce the most important news of my life: the Colombian people have entrusted me with the supreme honor of serving them as their next president of the Republic of Colombia,” Mr. de la Espriella told supporters. “I will govern for all Colombians … there will be no retaliation, no persecution, because in a democracy there are no irreconcilable enemies.”Mr. Cepeda did not concede the election and called the results “unofficial and non-binding.” He vowed to challenge the results from roughly 30,000 voting stations. Mr. Petro also called the result into question, claiming there were “irregularities.”Mr. de la Espriella, who holds dual Colombian and American citizenship, had never run for office before his presidential bid. He promised a tough-on-crime approach and said he would build 10 mega-prisons. He also vowed to roll back Mr. Petro’s ban on new fossil fuel development by restarting oil exploration and allowing for fracking to roughly double its production. Mr. de la Espriella also said he would end peace negotiations with armed groups. President Trump endorsed Mr. de la Espriella earlier this month, writing on Truth Social, “The results of this election are very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship with the United States.”“Because of his tremendous accomplishments in life, and his political support for me personally, it is my honor to give Abelardo my complete and total endorsement,” Mr. Trump said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X on Sunday night that the Trump administration “looks forward to working closely” with the incoming president to “advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States.”“Colombia’s best days are ahead,” Mr. Rubio said. Mr. de la Espriella is set to begin a four-year term on August 7. His victory comes as several Latin American countries have recently elected right-wing leaders. In December, Honduras elected Trump-backed Nasry Asfura as president. That came weeks after a conservative candidate, José Antonio Kast, won the presidential election in Chile. And in February, the conservative candidate, Laura Fernandez, won Costa Rica’s presidential election, bringing the number of countries in the region currently led by right-wing leaders up to nine.Mr. Trump’s backing was also seen as having helped the party of President Javier Milei in Argentina to prevail in closely fought midterm legislative elections in October 2025.

Trump-Backed Candidate Tops Presidential Polls in Closely Fought Colombian Election

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