To Abelardo De la Espriella, who advanced to the runoff: “Love your people like I do”
After Honduras, Japan and Hungary, he again publicly backs a right‑wing candidate
U.S. President Donald Trump publicly announced his support for a far‑right candidate who advanced to Colombia’s presidential runoff. Coming after endorsements for right‑wing candidates in Honduras, Japan and Hungary, his public backing has drawn renewed attention to the outcome of that contest.
On June 2 (local time), Trump posted on his social network Truth Social, congratulating Abelardo De la Espriella, the far‑right candidate from Guardians of the Homeland, for reaching Colombia’s runoff and declaring his support.
A former high‑profile attorney nicknamed “El Tigre” (the Tiger), De la Espriella finished first in the May 31 first round of Colombia’s presidential election with 43.7% of the vote and advanced to the runoff.
In his post, Trump wrote that Abelardo “fights tirelessly for and loves his great country and its people, just as I do for America.”
He added that, as president, Abelardo would achieve “tremendous success” leading Colombia on economic growth, job creation, increased trade, stopping illegal immigration, combating crime and drugs, and restoring law and order.
Without naming him, Trump described the candidate from the ruling Historic Pact, Iván Cepeda, as a “radical left Marxist,” and noted that the two candidates will face each other in the runoff on June 21.
Trump emphasized that this election’s result is important for Colombia’s future and its relationship with the United States, and said it was “an honor” to offer full support to Abelardo because of his significant life achievements and his personal political backing for Trump.
De la Espriella surged in this campaign by adopting a hard‑right platform: he pledged to build 10 large prisons in the Amazon to reduce crime and supported emergency measures that would temporarily grant broad powers to the president and the military.
With no prior public office experience, the far‑right outsider and political maverick has been compared to President Trump.
Trump has previously publicly endorsed right‑wing candidates in other national elections, including in Honduras, Japan and Hungary, so this race’s outcome is being closely watched.
In Honduras, a pro‑Trump right‑wing candidate won the presidency. In Japan’s general election, the Liberal Democratic Party, led by the right‑wing Sanae Takaichi, achieved a landslide victory.
However, in Hungary’s April election, Viktor Orbán—often called “Europe’s Trump”—saw his ruling Fidesz party suffer a heavy defeat and step down despite receiving Trump’s full support.
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