The United States is no longer a neutral observer in Colombia's politics
En la intersección entre la política doméstica estadounidense y la soberanía electoral latinoamericana, Donald Trump ha extendido su respaldo público al candidato colombiano de ultraderecha Abelardo de la Espriella, conocido como 'El Tigre', de cara a la segunda vuelta presidencial del 21 de junio. El gesto, publicado en Truth Social, no es un acto aislado sino parte de un patrón deliberado mediante el cual Washington busca moldear el mapa político de la región. En el fondo, la pregunta que Colombia deberá responder en las urnas no es solo quién gobernará el país, sino en qué medida las preferencias de una potencia extranjera pesan sobre la voluntad de un pueblo.
- Trump rompió con cualquier apariencia de neutralidad diplomática al llamar a Iván Cepeda 'marxista radical' y advertir que el resultado electoral tendrá consecuencias directas para la relación bilateral con Estados Unidos.
- De la Espriella construyó durante meses una red de contactos en Washington —reuniéndose con congresistas republicanos y el subsecretario de Estado Christopher Landau— para asegurarse de que el respaldo llegara antes del 21 de junio.
- El mismo día del endoso colombiano, Trump publicó una foto con Flavio Bolsonaro en el Despacho Oval, confirmando que su intervención en América Latina responde a una estrategia regional y no a una simpatía personal espontánea.
- La incógnita central es si el sello trumpista suma o resta votos en un electorado colombiano que, en su segunda vuelta, deberá decidir entre consolidar la derecha o resistir la presión externa como argumento de campaña.
Donald Trump publicó el martes en Truth Social su respaldo a Abelardo de la Espriella, candidato colombiano de ultraderecha que disputa la segunda vuelta presidencial del 21 de junio contra el senador Iván Cepeda. Trump elogió a 'El Tigre' —apodo del candidato— como inteligente, fuerte y tenaz, celebró sus más de 10,3 millones de votos en primera vuelta y enmarcó el endoso en términos de intereses compartidos: crecimiento económico, control migratorio y lucha contra el narcotráfico. Al mismo tiempo, atacó a Cepeda calificándolo de 'marxista radical izquierdista' y advirtió que el resultado será 'muy importante' para la relación entre ambos países.
El respaldo no llegó por casualidad. De la Espriella viajó dos veces a Miami durante su campaña, se reunió con legisladores republicanos y con Christopher Landau, subsecretario de Estado, y se presentó públicamente como admirador de Trump. Cuando el endoso se materializó, el candidato respondió desde la revista Semana asegurando sentirse profundamente honrado y subrayando que Estados Unidos es el socio comercial más importante de Colombia y un aliado indispensable en la lucha contra el crimen organizado.
La intervención de Trump no es un episodio aislado: el mismo día publicó una fotografía con Flavio Bolsonaro en el Despacho Oval, hijo del expresidente brasileño, quien aspira a desafiar a Lula en octubre. El patrón se repite en Honduras, donde Trump apoyó a Nasry Tito Asfura —quien ganó—, y en Argentina y Chile, donde ha respaldado a Javier Milei y José Antonio Kast respectivamente. Washington ha dejado de ser un observador neutral en la política latinoamericana para convertirse en un actor que usa su plataforma como señal de preferencia estratégica.
Lo que resta por saber es si ese respaldo pesa a favor o en contra de De la Espriella entre los votantes colombianos que aún no han decidido. Su desempeño en primera vuelta fue sólido, pero la segunda vuelta exige ampliar coaliciones. La presencia de Trump en la campaña convierte la elección del 21 de junio en algo más que una disputa interna: es también un test sobre hasta dónde llega la influencia exterior en las democracias de la región.
Donald Trump posted his endorsement of Colombian far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella on Truth Social on Tuesday, offering the kind of full-throated backing the outsider politician had been waiting for. Trump called de la Espriella—who goes by the nickname "El Tigre"—intelligent, strong, and tenacious, celebrating his first-round victory in which he secured more than 10.3 million votes. The American president framed the endorsement in terms of shared interests: economic growth, job creation, trade expansion, stopping illegal immigration, and cracking down on crime and drugs. Trump also took a shot at de la Espriella's runoff opponent, Iván Cepeda, calling him a radical leftist Marxist and warning that the election's outcome would be "very important" for Colombia's relationship with the United States.
De la Espriella has spent months cultivating exactly this kind of relationship. He traveled to Miami twice during his campaign and met with Republican members of Congress and Christopher Landau, the U.S. State Department's deputy secretary. He is an avowed admirer of Trump and has worked to position himself as the American president's preferred choice in Colombia. When Trump's endorsement came, de la Espriella responded immediately in an interview with the magazine Semana, saying he was deeply honored by the support from Trump and his administration. He emphasized that the United States is essential for combating organized crime and drug trafficking, and that it is Colombia's most important trade partner. De la Espriella also claimed that he and Trump share core values around democracy, freedom, and institutional strength.
Trump's intervention reflects a broader pattern of American backing for right-wing and far-right candidates across Latin America since his return to the White House. On the same day he endorsed de la Espriella, Trump posted a photo from the Oval Office with Flavio Bolsonaro, son of Brazil's former far-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 Brazil's October elections. Earlier, Trump had used his social media platform to support Nasry Tito Asfura in Honduras's November election, and Asfura won. In Argentina, Trump has backed Javier Milei; in Chile, he has supported José Antonio Kast. The pattern is consistent: Trump is using his platform and political capital to shape electoral outcomes in the region.
The June 21 runoff between de la Espriella and Cepeda will test whether Trump's endorsement carries weight with Colombian voters. De la Espriella's first-round performance was strong, but the second round will be decided by how effectively he can consolidate support and whether Trump's backing helps or hinders him among different segments of the Colombian electorate. What is clear is that the United States is no longer a neutral observer in Colombia's political process—it is an active participant, with Trump's endorsement serving as a signal of American strategic preference and a warning about the consequences of choosing a different direction.
Notable Quotes
I am very honored by the decisive support of President Trump and his entire government, with whom I have had very good relations for many years.— Abelardo de la Espriella
The results of these elections are very important for the future of Colombia and its relationship with the United States.— Donald Trump
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why did Trump wait until after the first round to endorse de la Espriella? Wouldn't earlier backing have been more useful?
De la Espriella had been cultivating the relationship for months—meetings in Miami, connections to Republican congressmen. Trump likely waited to see if de la Espriella could actually win the first round. An endorsement of a losing candidate looks foolish. Once de la Espriella proved he could get 10 million votes, Trump's backing became a victory lap, not a gamble.
De la Espriella says Trump's support is about shared values. Do you believe that?
I think it's more transactional than that. Trump cares about leaders who will align with American interests in the region—stopping drug trafficking, maintaining trade relationships, keeping leftist governments out of power. De la Espriella understands this and has positioned himself as the candidate who will deliver on those priorities.
What does this mean for Colombian sovereignty?
That's the harder question. When a foreign president publicly endorses one candidate over another, it changes the domestic conversation. Voters who might have supported de la Espriella anyway now have to ask themselves whether they're voting for him or for Trump. And voters opposed to him can frame him as an American puppet. Either way, the election is no longer purely Colombian.
Is this unprecedented?
Not entirely. But the scale and openness of it is striking. Trump isn't whispering to backchannels. He's posting on his own platform, using his own voice, making it clear that the United States has a preferred outcome. That's a different kind of intervention than what we've seen before.
What happens if Cepeda wins despite Trump's endorsement?
It would be a significant rebuke to Trump's influence in the region. It would suggest that his backing, while symbolically important, doesn't automatically translate to electoral victory. But it would also likely trigger a sharp deterioration in U.S.-Colombia relations under a Cepeda presidency.