When a country intervenes in another's decisions, freedom dies.
En las semanas finales antes de la segunda vuelta presidencial colombiana del 21 de junio, Donald Trump ha irrumpido en el proceso electoral de un país soberano con un respaldo explícito al candidato ultraderechista Abelardo de la Espriella, conocido como 'El Tigre'. El gesto no es improvisado: durante meses, de la Espriella tejió vínculos con el entorno de Trump en Miami y Washington, buscando convertir la aprobación del presidente estadounidense en un activo electoral. La intervención revela algo más profundo que una preferencia personal: es parte de una estrategia hemisférica que redefine las relaciones entre Washington y América Latina según afinidades ideológicas, con consecuencias que trascenderán el resultado del 21 de junio.
- Trump publicó en Truth Social su respaldo 'total y absoluto' a de la Espriella, calificando a su rival Iván Cepeda de 'marxista radical de izquierda' y advirtiendo que el resultado afectará la relación de Colombia con Estados Unidos.
- El endoso no fue espontáneo: 'El Tigre' viajó dos veces a Miami, se reunió con legisladores republicanos y con el subsecretario de Estado Christopher Landau para posicionarse como el candidato preferido de Washington.
- El presidente Gustavo Petro respondió con dureza desde X, denunciando la injerencia extranjera y llamando a los colombianos a votar libremente, sin dejarse colonizar por ninguna potencia foránea.
- La tensión es aguda: Petro había presumido en abril de haber reparado su relación con Trump tras una reunión en la Casa Blanca, pero ahora el mismo Trump respalda al candidato que Petro ha llamado fascista.
- El episodio colombiano se inscribe en un patrón más amplio: el mismo día, Trump publicó una foto con Flavio Bolsonaro en el Despacho Oval, y en noviembre intervino en Honduras apoyando al candidato que luego ganó la presidencia.
Donald Trump respaldó públicamente a Abelardo de la Espriella, candidato ultraderechista colombiano apodado 'El Tigre', a pocas semanas de la segunda vuelta del 21 de junio. En Truth Social, Trump lo describió como un líder inteligente, fuerte y tenaz, y prometió su apoyo 'total y absoluto', enmarcando la elección como decisiva para el futuro de las relaciones entre Colombia y Washington.
El respaldo no fue una sorpresa para quienes siguieron la campaña de cerca. De la Espriella, declarado admirador de Trump, viajó dos veces a Miami, se reunió con congresistas republicanos y sostuvo conversaciones con el subsecretario de Estado Christopher Landau. A través de cartas y declaraciones públicas, instó a Trump a actuar contra organizaciones criminales en Colombia y advirtió sobre los peligros que, según él, representa el gobierno de Gustavo Petro. El mensaje de Trump reflejó esa agenda compartida: crecimiento económico, comercio, freno a la inmigración ilegal y lucha contra el narcotráfico.
De la Espriella celebró el endoso en la revista Semana, hablando de valores compartidos con Trump en torno a la democracia y la libertad, y prometiendo que bajo su presidencia el comercio con Estados Unidos alcanzaría niveles sin precedentes. Petro, en cambio, respondió con dureza desde X, acusando a Trump de interferir en los asuntos internos del país y llamando a los colombianos a votar libremente. La ironía era evidente: apenas en abril, Petro había contado a El País que su reunión en la Casa Blanca había disipado malentendidos mutuos.
Trump también atacó al rival de de la Espriella, Iván Cepeda, llamándolo 'marxista radical de izquierda' y dejando claro lo que Washington espera del resultado. El episodio se suma a un patrón hemisférico: ese mismo martes, Trump publicó una foto con Flavio Bolsonaro en el Despacho Oval, y en noviembre había respaldado al candidato conservador que ganó la presidencia de Honduras. Colombia se convierte así en el escenario más reciente de una estrategia que remodela las relaciones entre Estados Unidos y América Latina a imagen de sus afinidades ideológicas.
Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia's far-right presidential candidate, in a move that scrambles the final weeks before a June 21 runoff vote. On Tuesday, the former U.S. president posted to his Truth Social platform calling de la Espriella—nicknamed "El Tigre"—an intelligent, strong, and tenacious leader who had decisively won the first round of voting with more than 10.3 million votes. Trump's endorsement was unambiguous: he pledged his "total and absolute" backing and framed the election as consequential for Colombia's future relationship with Washington.
The endorsement was not spontaneous. De la Espriella, a declared admirer of Trump, has spent months cultivating connections with the American president's inner circle. He traveled to Miami twice during the campaign, met with Republican members of Congress, and held talks with Christopher Landau, the U.S. State Department's deputy secretary. Through letters and press statements, the Colombian candidate has repeatedly urged Trump to take action against criminal organizations in Colombia and warned him about the supposed democratic threats posed by the sitting president, Gustavo Petro. Trump's message made clear what de la Espriella had been working toward: alignment on issues that matter to Washington—economic growth, job creation, trade expansion, stopping illegal immigration, and cracking down on crime and drugs.
De la Espriella responded immediately, telling the magazine Semana that he was honored by Trump's support and emphasized the importance of the U.S. relationship for combating organized crime and narcoterrorism. He spoke of shared values with Trump around democracy and freedom, and suggested that the White House had positioned itself at a decisive moment in Colombian history. The candidate also invoked what he called "the era of the Tiger," suggesting commerce with the United States would reach unprecedented levels under his presidency.
Petro, the sitting president, fired back within hours. On X, he accused Trump of interfering in Colombia's internal affairs and called on voters to cast their ballots freely, warning against the country becoming enslaved or colonized by any foreign power. The rebuke was sharp, though Petro had spent months claiming to have mended fences with Trump after a February meeting at the White House. In April, Petro had told El País that seeing Trump in person had broken down misconceptions about both Colombia and himself. Now the American president was backing the candidate Petro had labeled a fascist.
Trump's message also attacked de la Espriella's runoff opponent, Iván Cepeda, whom he described as a radical left Marxist. The former president warned that the election results would be very important for Colombia's relationship with the United States—a clear signal of what Washington expected from the vote. In his closing lines, Trump declared that de la Espriella would not disappoint the Colombian people.
The endorsement fits a broader pattern. Since returning to the White House, Trump has accumulated a long record of backing right-wing and far-right politicians across Latin America. On the same Tuesday he endorsed de la Espriella, Trump posted a photo from the Oval Office with Flavio Bolsonaro, son of Brazil's former ultra-right president Jair Bolsonaro, calling him an intelligent young man who loves his country. Flavio is positioning himself to challenge President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in October elections. In November, Trump used Truth Social to intervene in Honduras, endorsing conservative Nasry Tito Asfura, who won the presidency days later. With de la Espriella, Trump is making his preferences unmistakable as Colombia heads toward a choice between two starkly different visions of the country's future.
Citas Notables
I am very honored by the decided support of President Trump and his entire Government, with whom I have had very good relations for many years.— Abelardo de la Espriella, in response to Trump's endorsement
When a country intervenes in the decisions of another, freedom dies. I invite all of Colombia to vote in complete freedom and not become slaves or colonies of anyone.— President Gustavo Petro, on X, responding to Trump's endorsement
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why did Trump wait until now to endorse de la Espriella, when the candidate had been courting him for months?
De la Espriella needed to prove he could win first. Trump backs winners. Once de la Espriella took the first round with over 10 million votes, he became the frontrunner, and Trump could safely back him without looking like he was picking a long shot.
What does de la Espriella actually want from Trump?
Access and legitimacy. He wants Trump to see him as the right partner for U.S. interests in Colombia—on drugs, crime, trade. The endorsement signals to Colombian voters that Washington prefers him, which matters in a country where the U.S. relationship is economically and strategically important.
How does Petro's warning about foreign intervention land in Colombia?
It's complicated. Trump isn't popular there—his favorable rating is under 40 percent. But Petro's complaint about intervention could backfire if voters see it as him being defensive about losing Washington's favor. It also exposes a real tension: Petro spent months claiming he'd fixed things with Trump, and now Trump is openly against him.
Is this just Trump being Trump, or is there a strategy?
It's both. Trump genuinely prefers right-wing leaders who align with his views on immigration and crime. But he's also signaling to the region that he rewards allies and punishes adversaries. De la Espriella has been a reliable voice calling for tougher stances on the things Trump cares about.
What happens if de la Espriella loses on June 21?
That becomes a test of Trump's actual influence in Latin America. If Cepeda wins despite Trump's backing, it suggests Colombian voters either don't care what Washington thinks or actively reject it. Either way, it complicates the relationship Trump is trying to build.