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Abelardo de la Espriella

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In this Hispanic American name, the first or paternal surname is de la Espriella and the second or maternal family name is Otero.

Abelardo de la Espriella
De la Espriella in 2026
President-elect of Colombia
Assuming office
7 August 2026
Vice PresidentJosé Manuel Restrepo Abondano (elect)
SucceedingGustavo Petro
Leader of Defenders of the Homeland
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 August 2024
PresidentMauricio Gómez Amín
Preceded byParty established
Personal details
BornAbelardo Gabriel de la Espriella Otero
(1978-07-31) 31 July 1978 (age 47)
Bogotá, Colombia
CitizenshipColombia • United States • Italy
PartyDefenders of the Homeland (since 2024)
Other party
National Salvation Movement[a]
Spouse(s)
Yoly Illidge
​
​
(m. 2001; div. 2004)​

​
(m. 2006)​
Children4
Sergio Arboleda University (LLB)
Signature
WebsiteDefensores de la Patria – Political Movement
Colombia Abelardista – Civilian Movement
NicknameThe Tiger

Abelardo Gabriel de la Espriella Otero (born 31 July 1978) is a Colombian lawyer, businessman, and far-right politician who is the president-elect of Colombia, due to take office on 7 August 2026. He is the leader of the Defenders of the Homeland party, which he founded in 2024.

Born in Bogotá and raised in Montería, Córdoba, De la Espriella studied law at Sergio Arboleda University, received his degree from Del Rosario University, and obtained a master's degree in law from Nebrija University in 2012. He became a prominent public figure through his defense of high-profile clients, including politicians accused of ties to right-wing paramilitary groups and Alex Saab, a Venezuelan businessman later indicted in the United States on money laundering charges. In 2005, he founded the Foundation for Peace Initiatives (FIPAZ), which promoted a referendum to prohibit extradition in Colombia and organized forums featuring commanders of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), a paramilitary umbrella organization designated a terrorist group by the United States.

He supports the right to bear arms, withdrawal from international bodies such as the United Nations and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, laissez-faire economic policies, and an end to peace processes with Colombian armed groups. In foreign policy, he has expressed support for closer alignment with the United States under President Donald Trump and the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel.

In the 2026 Colombian presidential election, he received 43.74% of the vote in the first round on 31 May, before defeating left-wing senator Iván Cepeda in the runoff on 21 June with 49.66% to Cepeda's 48.70%—the smallest margin of victory ever recorded in a Colombian presidential election. With 12.9 million votes, he became the most voted presidential candidate in the country's history.

Early life, family and career

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De la Espriella in 2017

De la Espriella was born in Bogotá, D.C., on 31 July 1978, to Abelardo de la Espriella Juris and María Eugenia Otero Aldana. His parents moved to Montería, Córdoba, when he was two years old.

His father, a lawyer by profession, served as a magistrate at the Administrative Tribunal of Córdoba.[1] He was a candidate for governor of Córdoba during the 1997 Colombian regional and municipal elections.[2] He is also a close friend of Álvaro Uribe, who was president of Colombia from 2002 to 2010. His mother, María Eugenia Otero Aldana, comes from a family of cattle ranchers with ties to local politics.[1]

During his early years, he associated with Salvatore Mancuso. Although Mancuso was ten years older, they studied at the same high school and moved within the same social circles—the city's upper class. He also performed in his high school's theater group and later worked for a popular local radio station, La Voz de Montería.[1]

He has retained a passion for hunting and firearms. He has stated that as a child, he enjoyed tying firecrackers to cats and watching them explode.[1]

After graduating, he moved to Bogotá, D.C., to study law at Sergio Arboleda University, an institution with a conservative orientation.[1] He received his degree from Del Rosario University. In 2012 he obtained a master's degree in law from Nebrija University.[3][4][5]

De la Espriella worked at the Initiatives for Peace Foundation (FIPAZ), an organization that sought to promote a referendum to recognize the political rights of all armed actors during the Colombian conflict and to amend the Constitution to prohibit the extradition of Colombians,[6] serving as an advisor to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia.[7][8]

Espriella is a millionaire and before his presidential run travelled using private planes and promoted his rum and wine businesses.[9]

After living in Miami for over a decade, he received United States citizenship in 2023.[10]

[edit]

He defended political figures accused of having allied themselves with paramilitaries, some of whom had been close to him since childhood, such as the former congresswoman Eleonora Pineda—who was a friend of his mother—as well as Dieb Maloof and Rocío Arias.[1]

In 2012, De la Espriella represented Dania Londoño Suárez, a Colombian woman linked to the prostitution scandal in Cartagena during the Summit of the Americas and involving members of the United States Secret Service. According to an Associated Press report, he confirmed that his client had reached a pre-agreement with Playboy magazine and negotiated an interview with the American television network ABC. He stated that as a result of those agreements, she would not grant interviews to other news outlets, and declined to disclose the financial terms involved.[11]

From 2013 to 2019, De la Espriella served as legal counsel to Alex Saab, who was later indicted in the United States on charges including money laundering and alleged operation as a financial agent for the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro.[12] Saab publicly described De la Espriella as a close associate and legal advisor.[13]

In May 2014, Venezuelan political strategist Juan José Rendón was reported to be scheduled to give a statement at the Colombian Consulate in Miami in connection with an investigation. According to La Prensa, he was to be accompanied by attorney Abelardo de la Espriella.[14]

In 2015, De la Espriella served as the attorney for Pastor Álvaro Gámez of Pasto following sexual abuse trials. Seven women filed public complaints questioning De la Espriella's involvement in defending sexual predators, alleging that he had discredited their testimonies and evidence in court.[15]

In 2019, De La Espriella publicly defended the actions of ESMAD officers following an incident of police brutality against college students following the 2019 protests that resulted in the death of Dilan Cruz in Bogotá. He also stated that he would provide his legal services to ESMAD officers free of charge, citing his support for the police.[16][17]

In 2026, the Inter American Press Association and the Colombian Foundation for Press Freedom raised concerns about potential judicial harassment by De la Espriella when, in response to a column discussing his ties to Saab, he announced possible legal actions against the author.[18][19] Between 2008 and 2019, he was reportedly the complainant in 109 defamation and slander cases, many of which were dismissed. The Foundation for Press Freedom has described these cases as examples of judicial harassment.[20]

Controversies

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On 14 May 2026, De la Espriella became embroiled in controversy after showing explicit photos of his genitals to a female journalist as part of an interview with Piso 8 FM, which various media outlets characterized as sexist and sexual harassment. The incident sparked outrage among women's rights groups and led to a court order requiring De la Espriella to publicly apologize to the journalist.[21][22]

In addition, the family of Rosa Elvira Cely publicly denounced mistreatment and defamation by De la Espriella's campaign, stating that the presidential candidate had lied about his role in the Rosa Elvira Cely Law to prevent femicides, noting that De la Espriella had not helped in any way to pass the law; they asserted that De la Espriella’s law firm had mistreated the Cely family by blocking them in receiving proper compensation for the death of their relative.[23][24] Juliana Cely, the daughter of Rosa Elvira Cely, publicly stated that "It disgusts me to see how De la Espriella is using my story", noting that the politician was manipulating the story of her mother's death for political propaganda, despite failed to support the family in 2012.[25][26]

FIPAZ Foundation and ties to the AUC

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In 2005, De la Espriella founded the Foundation for Peace Initiatives (FIPAZ).[27] This foundation organized university forums in which Iván Roberto Duque, alias "Ernesto Báez," former commander of the Central Bolívar Bloc of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), took part, and at which Salvatore Mancuso was present and photographed alongside De la Espriella. FIPAZ also promoted a referendum to prohibit extradition in Colombia.[28][29]

In 2008, Báez stated that "the armed organization sought out students, through Abelardo de la Espriella, as a dissemination channel to justify the war undertaken by the paramilitary organization." In a 2011 ruling against former congressman Juan Pablo Sánchez, the Supreme Court of Justice held that FIPAZ "did not promote peace when the self-defense groups were massacring, disappearing, killing, and torturing, but rather when they sought to project themselves politically through university students," and ordered that copies be forwarded so that De la Espriella could be investigated. However, the Office of the Attorney General, under the leadership of Mario Iguarán, who was a close friend of De la Espriella, had already closed the investigation against De la Espriella for conspiracy to commit crimes and money laundering in 2009.[28][30]

2026 presidential election

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Main article: 2026 Colombian presidential election
Abelardo de la Espriella in a victory speech

In the run-up to the May–June 2026 presidential election, the political website La Silla Vacía noted that "everything in his campaign revolves around the idea of the 'alpha male' as an unquestionable sign of his ability to govern", in order to set himself apart from the conservative candidate, Paloma Valencia.[31][32][33]

His rallies have featured figures from across the political right in Latin America, including military veteran leaders and evangelical preachers.[34] Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa endorsed his presidential campaign, saying that if De la Espriella were elected, the Ecuadorian government would eliminate tariffs on Colombian products.[35][36] In addition, De la Espriella also received public endorsements from Chilean president José Antonio Kast[37] and Argentine president Javier Milei[38] following his victory in the first round. In mid-June 2026, the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected statements made by Milei in support of De la Espriella's candidacy, citing them as political interference and a violation of the Charter of the Organization of American States.[39] Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori of the Fuerza Popular party also congratulated De la Espriella on her election victory, noting that she was grateful for the support De la Espriella had provided earlier in her campaign to win the 2026 Peruvian elections. Fujimori also highlighted the improvement in diplomatic relations between Colombia and Peru under her potential administration.[40][41]

U.S. President Donald Trump also endorsed De la Espriella, accusing his opponent Iván Cepeda of being a "radical left-wing Marxist" in a series of Truth Social posts and noting that De la Espriella could improve relations between Colombia and the United States, which were subject to several diplomatic confrontations between Trump and outgoing president Gustavo Petro.[42] Nate Morris, President Trump's nominee to be Ambassador to Colombia, commented that he looked forward to working with De la Espriella to advance Trump’s agenda in Colombia.[43]

Political views

[edit]

De la Espriella has been widely described as right-wing or far-right.[44][7][45][46][47][48][49][50][51] He supports the right to bear arms,[52] withdrawing Colombia from international organizations such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations.[53] He has said he would authorize the police to shoot at protesters they deem to be violent.[34] He has also threatened to kill suspects of drug trafficking by downing planes and shooting boats, which has been "widely denounced as a form of extrajudicial killing, effectively denying suspects the chance of defending themselves in a court of law".[48]

De la Espriella also supports implementing a security system similar to the one put in place by Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, citing as an example the creation of 10 mega-prisons across the country.[54] De la Espriella has also expressed staunch support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In an August 2025 interview, when questioned about the military offensive in Gaza, he stated that "the State of Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu, is doing what they have to do to defend their people," adding that he would take similar hardline measures to defend Colombia against terrorism, stating he would not "kneel before terrorism."[55] These statements drew severe backlash from opposition figures and human rights commentators, who condemned his rhetoric as an explicit justification of the mass casualties and destruction in the Gaza Strip.[56] Following his victory in the June 2026 presidential election, Netanyahu publicly congratulated De la Espriella on social media, stating that "friends of Israel keep winning."[57]

He is supportive of economic laissez-faire policies and the elimination of ministries.[7][58] He also has supported the bombing of alleged "narco-terrorist camps" and fumigation of coca plantations with the help of U.S. aircraft, in addition to ending the peace processes with Colombian armed groups.[59][60][61]

De la Espriella is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump[47] and has said that he wants to subordinate Colombia's foreign policy to that of the United States.[62] He welcomed the U.S. attack against Venezuela in January 2026 and has repeatedly stated that any future diplomatic relationship with Venezuela would be channeled through the U.S. Department of State.[62] He announced his intention to join Trump's Shield of the Americas.[63] De la Espriella publicly stated that he supports regime change in Cuba following the 2026 Cuban crisis, as well as the country's annexation by the United States as a territory in free association similar in status to Puerto Rico.[64] De La Espriella had also supported ICE's actions regarding the detention of Colombian refugees and political asylum seekers in the U.S., including the opposition journalist Beto Coral, who was detained in Arizona during the Colombian elections.[65][66] Futhermore, De La Espriella also met with Republican Senator Bernie Moreno to discuss the immigration of Colombians to the United States in late June 2026. De La Espriella stated that he would work with US immigration authorities to facilitate the immediate deportation of political asylum seekers from Colombia, as well as to reform immigration procedures to make it much more difficult for Colombians to enter the US.[67][68]

He has also said he wants to restore diplomatic ties with Israel, which were severed by the Colombian government in protest against the Gaza war and genocide. He further announced that he would open an embassy in Jerusalem, thereby breaking with Colombia's traditional position on the conflict. In late 2025, he met with Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar, to whom he promised to "strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation" between Colombia and Israel.[62]

He is against abortion[69] and same-sex adoption, stating that his positions are intended to prioritize "traditional Judeo-Christian principles and values".[70] He has espoused views often connected to transphobia, alleging that schools are trying to indoctrinate children with "gender ideology".[71] De la Espriella has further made clear his intention to limit the power and influence of FECODE, the country's main teachers' union, as well as to propose reforms to the education system to include a more active approach to teaching traditional religious values.[72]

Among De La Espriella's proposals is the “Reforma Integral del Estado,” inspired by Javier Milei's “chainsaw” policy of budget cuts, which aims to reduce the size of the government by 40%, including the elimination of entire ministries, in order to cut unnecessary costs; it is estimated that approximately 700,000 government employees and contractors would be affected.[73] In addition, De La Espriella has also proposed the deregulation and partial elimination of various procedures across different government agencies, including a comprehensive review of entities such as INVIMA, the government agency responsible for enforcing regulations governing the distribution and approval of medicines, as well as the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA), which is responsible for establishing regulations regarding farm sanitary standards.[74][75]

He has expressed disapproval of the 2016 Peace Accords as well as the functioning of the JEP, the transitional justice mechanism responsible for investigating crimes and human rights violations committed during the conflicts, suggesting the possibility of eliminating it entirely, citing deficiencies in its procedures and a lack of positive results.[76][77]

De La Espriella has also expressed interest in integrating artificial intelligence into various government agencies, including the DIAN, the government agency responsible for tax collection. De La Espriella has also publicly stated that his administration wants to form partnerships with various companies owned by Elon Musk, citing a possible collaboration to provide internet access to much of the rural areas using Starlink technology.[78]

Personal life

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Espriella was an atheist for a number of years, but converted to Catholicism and "raises the conservative banners of several supporting Christian churches".[71] He is married to Ana Lucía Pineda, and has four children.[79]

Notes

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  1. ^ De la Espriella is independent but received support from the National Salvation Movement.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Martín, Camila; Osorio, María (31 May 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella, el abogado del diablo que quiere ser presidente de Colombia". El País América Colombia (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 31 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  2. ^ "Estoy Invocando la Solidaridad". El Tiempo. 13 October 1997. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  3. ^ López, María Fernanda (3 September 2025). "¿Quién es Abelardo de la Espriella? El polémico abogado que quiere ser presidente". Minuto60. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  4. ^ "¿Quién es Abelardo Gabriel de la Espriella, candidato a la Presidencia?". IFM Noticias. 9 October 2025. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Abelardo de la Espriella lanza su candidatura a las elecciones presidenciales de 2026". EFE. Portafolio. 4 November 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  6. ^ Coronell, Daniel (18 August 2006). "El apoderado". Semana. Archived from the original on 31 May 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  7. ^ a b c Turan, Bawer (15 November 2025). "Abelardo de la Espriella". Colombia Reports. Archived from the original on 3 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  8. ^ Falah, Natalia (11 November 2025). "Abelardo de la Espriella's Controversial Proposal to Legalize 'Narco Money' Sparks Political Firestorm in Colombia". Colombia One. Archived from the original on 6 January 2026. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Leftist icon, millionaire lawyer, conservative senator: Who will be Colombia's next leader?". France 24. Bogotá: AFP. 25 May 2026. Archived from the original on 26 May 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  10. ^ Correal, Annie (4 June 2026). "Can Abelardo De La Espriella, a U.S. Citizen, Become Colombia's President?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  11. ^ Hernández, Camilo (17 September 2022). "Prostituta colombiana negoció con Playboy y ABC". La Prensa. Panamá. Associated Press.
  12. ^ León, Juanita (5 February 2026). "Saab y De la Espriella: fechas que enredan la desmarcada del candidato". La Silla Vacía (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  13. ^ ""Abelardo de la Espriella es un gran abogado y amigo": Alex Saab". El Espectador (in Spanish). 4 April 2021. Archived from the original on 26 January 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Fiscalía de Miami cita para el lunes a J.J. Rendón". La Prensa (in Spanish). Panama City, Panama. 16 May 2014. p. A33. Archived from the original on 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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  17. ^ ""No cobraré un centavo por la defensa del agente del Esmad": De la Espriella". LARAZÓN.CO (in Spanish). 30 November 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  18. ^ "The IAPA warns of the use of the judicial system to harass journalists in Colombia". Inter American Press Association. 20 January 2026. Archived from the original on 12 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  19. ^ Torrado, Santiago (22 January 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella redobla su ofensiva contra los periodistas que investigan su relación con Álex Saab". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  20. ^ "La FLIP advierte sobre el impacto del acoso judicial en el debate público". Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (in Spanish). 17 January 2026. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  21. ^ Martín, María (14 May 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella: el candidato que presume de genitales incendia la campaña electoral colombiana". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 May 2026. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  22. ^ "Colombian right-wing presidential candidate endorsed by Trump ordered to apologise for sexism". The Straits Times. 3 June 2026. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 4 June 2026. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  23. ^ Martín, María (20 May 2026). "La hermana de Rosa Elvira Cely desmiente a Abelardo de la Espriella: "Nos trató mal"". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  24. ^ "Familia de Rosa Elvira Cely denuncia revictimización por parte de Abelardo de la Espriella". Radio Nacional de Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  25. ^ Saavedra, Frank (23 May 2026). "Hija de Rosa Elvira Cely criticó a Abelardo de la Espriella por usar en su discurso político su caso: "Me da asco"". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  26. ^ ""Me da asco ver cómo De la Espriella usa mi historia": hija de Rosa Elvira Cely". El Espectador (in Spanish). 23 May 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
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  34. ^ a b Harrison, Chase (15 May 2026). "Colombia's 2026 Presidential Candidates: Cepeda, De la Espriella, and Valencia". AS/COA. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  35. ^ "Presidente Ecuador dispuesto a eliminar aranceles a Colombia". Deutsche Welle (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 June 2026. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
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  37. ^ "José Antonio Kast, presidente de Chile, felicitó a Abelardo de la Espriella por ganar primera vuelta presidencial: 'El mayor de los éxitos en segunda'". El Tiempo. 2026.
  38. ^ Hernández Naranjo, Daniel (18 June 2026). "Javier Milei, presidente de Argentina, conversó con Abelardo de la Espriella: los detalles de la llamada". Portafolio.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  39. ^ Legales, Asuntos (19 June 2026). "Cancillería rechazó declaraciones de Milei en favor de Abelardo De la Espriella". Asuntos Legales (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  40. ^ Paucar, Luis Paucar (22 June 2026). "Keiko Fujimori llama "inoportuno" a Petro y afirma que ella, De la Espriella y Kast le dan "nuevos aires" a la región". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  41. ^ Munar, Daniela Gutierrez (21 June 2026). "Keiko Fujimori envió mensaje a Abelardo de la Espriella tras ganar las elecciones presidenciales en Colombia: 'Le deseo el mayor de los éxitos'". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  42. ^ Seisdedos, Diego; Stacey, Íker (3 June 2026). "Donald Trump expresa su "respaldo total" a Abelardo de la Espriella y pide el voto para él en la segunda vuelta". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  43. ^ "Nate Morris (@NateMorris) on X". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 22 June 2026.
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  47. ^ a b Rogero, Tiago (1 June 2026). "Colombia's far-right presidential candidate Espriella wins first round of vote ahead of runoff". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  48. ^ a b "Cepeda, de la Espriella advance in Colombia's presidential election". Al Jazeera (English). 31 May 2026. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  49. ^ Alsema, Adriaan (31 May 2026). "De la Espriella wins 1st round of Colombia's presidential election". Colombia Reporters. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  50. ^ Forero, Juan (31 May 2026). "Right-Wing Firebrand Surges Into Colombia Runoff, Shaking Political Establishment". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  51. ^ Correal, Annie; Glatsky, Genevieve; -Sadurní, Luis (31 May 2026). "Far Right Outsider Advances in Colombia's Heated Presidential Election". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  52. ^ Ortega, Valeria (18 March 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella propone legalizar el porte de armas en su campaña presidencial". Diario del Norte (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 June 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  53. ^ "Abelardo de la Espriella anuncia que, si es presidente, retirará a Colombia de la ONU, la OEA y la CIDH". Semana (in Spanish). 16 November 2025. Archived from the original on 2 June 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  54. ^ Torrado, Santiago (16 June 2026). "Megacárceles o paz integral: De la Espriella y Cepeda chocan con visiones opuestas en seguridad". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 June 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  55. ^ Arcila, Migdalia (21 June 2026). "La promesa de un genocidio". Revista RAYA.
  56. ^ "Abelardo promete hacer en Colombia lo mismo que hizo Netanyahu en Gaza". YouTube. 2026.
  57. ^ "Trump, Milei e Kast celebram vitória de Abelardo de la Espriella". UOL Notícias. 22 June 2026.
  58. ^ "Abelardo de la Espriella dice que eliminaría casi la mitad de los ministerios". Semana (in Spanish). 16 November 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  59. ^ "Colombia election favorite vows US-backed strikes on narco camps". France 24. 12 February 2026. Archived from the original on 11 February 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  60. ^ Rodríguez, Mario Alejandro (17 November 2025). "Abelardo de la Espriella lanzó duro sablazo contra Juan Manuel Santos por proceso de paz: "Si hay un tipo que le ha hecho daño a Colombia es él"". infobae (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 June 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  61. ^ Acosta, Luis Jaime (28 May 2026). "Colombia presidential candidate De La Espriella proposes mega-prisons, crime crackdown". Reuters. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  62. ^ a b c Santiago Torrado; Diego Stacey (14 June 2026). "Dos visiones antagónicas de la política exterior: el otro campo de batalla entre Cepeda y De la Espriella". El Pais. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  63. ^ "Colombia's flirtation with the Trump alliance could prove disastrous". Los Angeles Times. 16 June 2026. Archived from the original on 22 June 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  64. ^ López, Yeison (29 April 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella señaló a Cuba como "cabeza de la serpiente" del comunismo en América Latina: "Iván Cepeda sabe que ese momento ya llegó"". Infobae (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 April 2026. Retrieved 21 June 2026. "Estados Unidos va a liberar a Cuba, y la mejor manera de hacerlo es convertirla en un Estado Libre Asociado, como Puerto Rico", expresó.
  65. ^ "Petro denuncia la injerencia de Estados Unidos ante la detención del activista Beto Coral por el ICE: "Es una persecución política"". El País América Colombia (in Spanish). 17 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026. El mensaje estaba acompañado de una alusión a la alianza con Trump: un escudo de "el quitavisas", en referencia al apodo del vicesecretario de Estado, otro de la "tigreseñal" para representar a De la Espriella.
  66. ^ Ospina, Dahana (17 June 2026). "Excandidata al Senado vincula la "tigreseñal" de Abelardo De La Espriella con la detención de Beto Coral en EE. UU". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  67. ^ "De La Espriella aseguró que los colombianos que soliciten asilo en EE.UU. serán devueltos a su país". La FM (in Spanish). 22 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  68. ^ "Bernie Moreno y De la Espriella coincidieron en el retorno de colombianos que solicitan asilo en EE. UU". El Colombiano (in European Spanish). 22 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  69. ^ Luque, Santiago (25 August 2025). "Abelardo De La Espriella es provida". Defensores de la Patria (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 31 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  70. ^ López, Yeison (13 April 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella afirmó que él no hubiera aprobado la adopción en parejas del mismo sexo: "Defender los principios y valores fundacionales del judeocristianismo"". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  71. ^ a b Osorio, Camila (2 June 2026). "De la Espriella's far-right banners". El País. Archived from the original on 19 June 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  72. ^ "Abelardo de la Espriella propuso acabar con Fecode y Daniel Quintero le salió al paso: "A leer, vago ignorante"". Infobae. 2026.
  73. ^ Ortiz, Jerson (20 May 2026). "Propuestas bomba del programa de Abelardo De La Espriella". La Silla Vacía (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  74. ^ "Los cambios normativos que Abelardo de la Espriella tiene pensados". Ámbito Jurídico (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  75. ^ "Gobierno De la Espriella arrancará con 90 decretos: habrá planes de choque en salud, seguridad y desregulación". Valora Anatilik (in Spanish). 23 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  76. ^ Ortega, Natalia (23 June 2026). "El Acuerdo de Paz que De la Espriella quiere cambiar tiene más blindajes de los que imagina". ELESPECTADOR.COM (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  77. ^ Nomesqui, Jimmy (23 June 2026). "Experto aclaró que Abelardo de la Espriella no podrá desmontar la JEP: "Requeriría una reforma constitucional"". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  78. ^ Bustamante, Aranza (24 June 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella y la promesa de modernizar Colombia con inteligencia artificial". WIRED (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  79. ^ "Ana Lucía Pineda, la mujer detrás de Abelardo de la Espriella: así será la nueva primera dama". El País (in Spanish). 21 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
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