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[iNews24 reporter Moon Young-soo] President Donald Trump publicly announced his endorsement of the far-right candidate who advanced to Colombia’s presidential runoff.
On June 2 (local time), via his social platform Truth Social, Trump congratulated Abelardo Espriella, a far-right candidate who advanced to Colombia’s runoff after winning 43.7% of the vote in the first round and finishing first.
Trump said Espriella, nicknamed “El Tigre” (“The Tiger”), “fights tirelessly for and loves his great country and its people, just as I do for America.” He added that, as president, Espriella would likely achieve tremendous success leading Colombia in economic growth, job creation, expanded trade, curbing illegal immigration, cracking down on crime and drug trafficking, and restoring law and order.
Trump said the result “is very important for Colombia’s future and for its relationship with the United States,” and called it “an honor” to give his full support to Espriella, citing Espriella’s significant life achievements and his personal political support for Trump.
Espriella has pledged to build 10 large prisons in the Amazon to reduce Colombia’s crime rate and has expressed support for a state of emergency that would temporarily grant the president and the military broad powers—positions that helped fuel his surge in the campaign. A lawyer by training with no prior government experience, he is viewed as an outsider.
Trump has repeatedly and publicly endorsed right-wing candidates in national elections in countries such as Honduras, Japan, and Hungary.
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