Trump Endorses Colombian Presidential Candidate Abelardo de la Espriella Ahead of Runoff

President Trump threw his support behind the candidate known as “El Tigre,” urging Colombians to vote for him in the June 21 runoff against a left-wing opponent.

COLOMBIA — Donald J.Trump posted on Truth Social on June 17, 2026 at 9:13 PM EST, posted on Truth Social on June 17, 2026, by mentioning the source (see truthsocial), endorsing Colombian presidential candidateAbelardo de la Espriella — widely known as “El Tigre” (The Tiger) — ahead of the country’s runoff election scheduled for Sunday, June 21. Trump called de la Espriella a “Smart, Strong, and Tough Leader” and said it was his “Honor to give Abelardo my Complete and Total Endorsement.” The endorsement marks a rare direct intervention by a sitting U.S. president in a foreign democratic election. Trump framed the Colombian race in ideological terms, describing de la Espriella’s opponent as a “Radical Left Marxist” and arguing that the outcome would carry significant consequences for the bilateral relationship between Colombia and the United States. He pledged that a de la Espriella victory would bring “the total support and strength of the United States” behind the new Colombian government. Trump praised de la Espriella’s platform, saying the candidate would “Grow the Economy, Create Jobs, Promote Trade, Stop Illegal Immigration, Crack Down on Crime and Drugs, and Restore LAW AND ORDER” in Colombia. He drew a parallel between de la Espriella’s agenda and his own governing philosophy, writing that the Colombian candidate “fights tirelessly for, and loves, his Great Country and People, just like I do for the United States of America.” Colombia, an upper-middle-income nation of roughly 52 million people with its capital in Bogota, has long maintained a close partnership with the United States on issues including counternarcotics, trade, and regional security. The U.S.-Colombia relationship deepened significantly in the early 2000s around shared priorities such as combating drug trafficking and terrorism. The endorsement signals that the Trump administration views the runoff’s outcome as pivotal to the future trajectory of that partnership, particularly on immigration and law enforcement cooperation. Trump closed his post with a direct appeal to Colombian voters: “GET OUT AND VOTE FOR “EL TIGRE” ABELARDO DE LA ESPRIELLA — HE WILL NOT LET THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA DOWN.” He added that under de la Espriella’s leadership, Colombia “will rise to a new height of Greatness.” The endorsement could energize de la Espriella’s campaign in the final days before the vote, though its reception among Colombian voters and political observers remains to be seen.