WASHINGTON, June 22 — U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday congratulated Colombia’s president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, following his election victory.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “He won, big!” while sharing a news article analyzing the victory of the right-wing candidate whom he had publicly supported.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also congratulated de la Espriella, signaling that the Trump administration is prepared to work closely with the incoming government on security, migration, and economic issues.
In a post on X, Rubio said, “Just spoke to Colombian President-Elect @ABDELAESPRIELLA to congratulate him on his electoral victory. The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties. Colombia’s best days are ahead.”
According to The Washington Post, de la Espriella, a far-right lawyer and outspoken supporter of President Trump, won at least 49.6 percent of the vote in Colombia’s presidential election, narrowly leading leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda by less than one percentage point.
The report noted that Colombian President Gustavo Petro has not formally recognized a winner and said a ballot review process would determine the final outcome.
If confirmed, de la Espriella’s victory would extend a broader trend of right-wing, pro-Trump candidates gaining power across Latin America, according to The Washington Post.
The newspaper reported that in Argentina, President Javier Milei, a populist ally of Trump, expanded his influence in Congress after Trump offered the country a $40 billion bailout conditioned on his party’s electoral success. In Honduras, a conservative mayor was elected president after Trump endorsed him and threatened to cut aid to the country if he lost.
Pro-Trump, right-leaning candidates have also defeated leftist rivals in Costa Rica, Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
According to the report, de la Espriella has pledged a hardline security agenda that includes building mega-prisons for drug traffickers, targeting what he describes as “narco-terrorist camps,” and ending Petro’s peace initiatives with guerrilla groups. His law-and-order platform has drawn comparisons to that of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.
Trump previously endorsed de la Espriella, describing him as a “Smart, Strong, and Tough Leader,” while characterizing his rival, Cepeda, as a “Radical Left Marxist.”
The U.S. president said Colombia’s future relationship with Washington would benefit from de la Espriella’s leadership if the election result is upheld.
The Washington Post noted that relations between Trump and Petro have been strained, with disagreements over U.S. anti-drug operations in the region and allegations by Petro that Washington sought to influence Colombia’s election.
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