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Abelardo de la Espriella

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His Excellency
Abelardo de la Espriella
De la Espriella in 2026
36th President of Colombia
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 August 2026
Vice PresidentJosé Manuel Restrepo
Preceded byGustavo 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 48)
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Citizenship
  • Colombia
  • United States
  • Italy
PartyDefenders of the Homeland (since 2024)
Spouse(s)
Yoly Illidge
​
​
(m. 2001; div. 2004)​

​
(m. 2008)​
Children4
EducationSergio Arboleda University (LLB)
Signature
WebsiteDefensores de la Patria
NicknameThe Tiger

Abelardo Gabriel de la Espriella Otero[a] (born 31 July 1978) is a Colombian lawyer, businessman, and politician who has served as the 36th president of Colombia since 2026. He is the founder and leader of the far-right Defenders of the Homeland party, established initially as a movement 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).

In the 2026 Colombian presidential election, de la Espriella 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 presidential candidate with the most votes in the country's history.

De la Espriella 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 overseen closer alignment with the United States under President Donald Trump and the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel.

Early life, family and career

His father, a lawyer by profession, served as a magistrate at the Administrative Tribunal of Córdoba.[1] His mother, María Eugenia Otero Aldana, comes from a family of cattle ranchers with ties to local politics.[1]

During his early years, de la Espriella associated with Salvatore Mancuso. Mancuso is ten years older, and 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.[1]

In a 2014 TV show, de la Espriella stated that as a child he enjoyed tying firecrackers to cats and watching them explode,[1][2] stating that doing this to cats was "awful" but that he "enjoyed it".[3] He later stated that the anecdote regarding cats and firecrackers was not real, and was a joke he made as he was annoyed by the TV show's remarks towards him. In the same statement, he said he regretted that "joke" and described himself as "an animal lover".[2]

He was a candidate for governor of Córdoba during the 1997 Colombian regional and municipal elections.[4] He is also a close friend of Álvaro Uribe, who was president of Colombia from 2002 to 2010.

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.[5][6][7]

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,[8] serving as an advisor to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia.[9][10] De la Espriella is a millionaire. Before his presidential run, he traveled using private planes and promoted his rum and wine businesses.[11] After living in Miami for over a decade, he received United States citizenship in 2023.[12]

After his election as president of Colombia, his personal and professional relationship with Diego Cadena, a former defendant of Uribe, became public.[citation needed]

De la Espriella 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 2008, de la Espriella publicly supported Salvatore Mancuso, a former drug trafficker and former United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia commander. De la Espriella publicly stated: "He took on a struggle that all of us from Córdoba should have fought. If I were in his place, I would have done the same."[13][14] 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.[15]

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.[16] Saab publicly described de la Espriella as a close associate and legal advisor.[17] 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.[18] 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.[19]

In 2018, de la Espriella served as attorney for former President Andrés Pastrana Arango after a congressman from the Alternative Democratic Pole accused the former President of having ties with the pedophile ring run by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. De la Espriella stated that "he must post a video on social media setting forth the terms of the settlement and retracting the defamatory and slanderous statements against President Pastrana. Justice has been served."[20] In late 2023, de la Espriella suggested nominating Pastrana as his head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his potential cabinet during the start of his presidential campaign.[21] Following the release of part of the Epstein Files in early 2026, it was discovered that Pastrana had appeared more than 50 times on DOJ documents, in addition several photographs showing Pastrana and Maxwell on plane rides were disclosed to the public.[22][23]

In 2019, de la Espriella publicly defended the actions of ESMAD officers involving 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.[24][25] 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.[26][27] 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.[28]

In April 2026, Raya Magazine’s Investigative Unit revealed de la Espriella’s connections to Daniel Peñarredonda, an attorney associated with his firm who had been implicated in a fraud case involving drug traffickers that had been brought to trial in the state of Florida,[29] where his firm attempted to carry out mass evictions as well as the forced displacement of an entire town in southern Bolívar for the exploitation of the Walter Gold Mine.[30] The Black Communities Process (PCN), an organization that advocates for the rights of Black people in Colombia, issued a statement condemning the actions of the de la Espriella law firm, noting that his actions incited paramilitary violence against Black communities in southern Bolívar with the aim of eliminating any social opposition to the exploitation of the gold mine by private entities.[31]

FIPAZ Foundation and ties to the AUC

In 2005, de la Espriella founded the Foundation for Peace Initiatives (FIPAZ).[32] 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.[33][34]

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 to launch an investigation into de la Espriella. However, the Office of the Attorney General, under the leadership of Mario Iguarán, who, according to Mancuso, was a close friend of de la Espriella, had already closed the investigation against him for criminal conspiracy and money laundering in 2009.[33][35]

2026 presidential election

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.[36][37][38]

His rallies have featured figures from across the political right in Latin America, including military veteran leaders and evangelical preachers.[39] 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.[40][41] In addition, de la Espriella also received public endorsements from Chilean president José Antonio Kast[42] and Argentine president Javier Milei[43] 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.[44] Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori of Popular Force 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.[45][46]

U.S. President Donald Trump 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.[47] 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.[48]

According to The Economist's editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes, along with a panel of journalists, voters are fed up with systemic crime, leading them to seek candidates they believe can solve it, which explains how the country can go from both ends of the political spectrum. Into the early 2020s, there was a "pink tide", but that by the mid-2020s there was a "conservative wave" and citizens demand crackdowns on violent crime. The panel of journalists concluded that the incoming president was the "Trumpiest of the lot".[49]

Espriella has been a vocal advocate against foreign left-wing influence in the country. In January 2026, de la Espriella leveled several accusations against the independent media outlet La Silla Vacía, claiming that it was directly funded by George Soros and the Open Society Foundation following the publication of several articles that revealed certain irregularities in his companies. Both the editorial team at La Silla Vacía and several fact-checking and journalist protection organizations refuted de la Espriella’s accusations as false, which could pose a threat to freedom of press.[50][51] The investigation by La Silla Vacía had revealed that several of the companies linked to de la Espriella had ties to individuals who had supported armed groups, including Hugues Rodríguez, who had directly financed the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia in Cesar, which had committed several massacres of civilians.[52] Additionally, the news outlet clarified that de la Espriella had had connections with and received financial assistance from Juan Carlos Gossaín,[53] the former governor of Bolívar, who had previously been removed from office for corruption-related crimes after embezzling the departmental public budget that was intended for health programs for the poor in Bolívar.[54]

Espriella faced criticism during the election cycle for his past conduct. On 14 May 2026, de la Espriella was accused of sexual harassment after showing explicit photos of his genitals to a female journalist as part of an interview with Piso 8 FM. 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.[55][56] 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.[57][58] Adriana Cely claimed that de la Espriella tried to offer her a contract with clauses that she personally found questionable and restrictive; among them was a provision stating that she could not disclose the contract to any media outlet, and that the compensation money intended for the victim would have to be managed directly by the de la Espriella law firm.[57] 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 failing to support her family in 2012.[59][60]

Presidency (2026–present)

De la Espriella took the oath of office on 7 August 2026 during his inauguration in Cali. In attendance were Argentinian president Javier Milei, Chilean president José Antonio Kast, Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa, Spanish king Felipe VI, as well as acting American attorney general Todd Blanche and FIFA head Gianni Infantino.[61] His 18 cabinet members were inaugurated during a ceremony at the Pichincha Battalion military base in Cali.[62] Prior to his inauguration, de la Espriella announced that he would move the presidential office to the San Carlos Palace and turn the Casa de Nariño into a museum, but reversed course the following month after he had taken office, with authorities citing security concerns.[63]

On 10 August, de la Espriella announced that the Colombian military killed six alleged members of illegal armed groups, in the first major events in a large-scale security operation he ordered when he took office. Four of those killed were said to have been FARC dissidents and included the commander of Front 28, while two others were part of the Clan del Golfo drug cartel.[64]

That same day, the 2026 Colombia earthquake occurred, prompting him to declare a state of emergency on 10 August[65] and an economic emergency on 12 August.[66]

Cabinet

Political views

De la Espriella has been widely described as right-wing or far-right.[85] He supports the right to bear arms,[86] withdrawing Colombia from international organizations such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations.[87] He has said he would authorize the police to shoot at protesters they deem to be violent.[39] 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".[88]

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.[89] He also clarified that he wants to eliminate the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (INPEC), the government agency that regulates prison conditions based on various policies aimed at ensuring the safety, custody, and eventual rehabilitation of inmates. De La Esprilla described the current INPEC's operations as a "den of bandits". He clarified that the new megaprisons would be administered by private entities with their own regulatory systems, independent of the Ministry of Justice or other oversight bodies.[90]

In February 2025, de la Espriella met with right-wing Congressman Miguel Abraham Polo Polo to discuss security issues in his potential administration as part of his podcast Tertulias Defensor. De la Espriella clarified: "If I’d been a paramilitary, I would've picked up a rifle and put on a uniform because I've got the guts to do what needs to be done. I wouldn't have been like Petro, who was just a coffee-shop guerrilla fighter; I would've been a real, real paramilitary. I'm not cut out for half-measures, you take away the rhetoric from this mangy plague of leftists."[91]

De la Espriella said he wants to restore diplomatic ties with Israel, which had been severed by the Colombian government in protest against the Gaza war. 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.[92] 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 measures to defend Colombia against terrorism, stating he would not "kneel before terrorism."[93] 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.[94] 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."[95] In August 2026, Colombia officially recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, becoming the second UN member country to do so following the United States, which did so in 2019 during the first Trump administration.[96]

De la Espriella is supportive of economic laissez-faire policies and the elimination of ministries.[9][97] 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.[98][99][100] De la Espriella is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump,[101] and has said that he wants to subordinate Colombia's foreign policy to that of the United States.[92] 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.[92] He announced his intention to join Trump's Shield of the Americas.[102] 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.[103] 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.[104][105] Furthermore, 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.[106][107]

He opposes abortion[108] and same-sex adoption, stating that his positions prioritize "traditional Judeo-Christian principles and values".[109] He has espoused views often connected to anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, alleging that schools are trying to indoctrinate children with "gender ideology".[110] 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.[111]

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.[112] 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.[113][114]

De la Espriella 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.[115][116] He 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.[117]

Personal life

De la Espriella was an atheist for a number of years, but converted to Catholicism and "raises the conservative banners of several supporting Christian churches".[110] He is married to Ana Lucía Pineda, with whom he has four children.[118]

Notes

  1. ↑ Latin American Spanish: [aβeˈlaɾðo ɣaˈβɾjel ðe la esˈpɾjeʝa oˈteɾo]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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. 1 2 Bernal, Por Valentina (3 November 2025). "Expresentador de RCN revive el tema de los "gatos muertos" con Abelardo De la Espriella y le hizo pedido especial". Publimetro Colombia (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  3. ↑ María Martín; Camila Osorio (1 June 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella, el abogado del diablo que quiere ser presidente de Colombia". El País América Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "Estoy Invocando la Solidaridad". El Tiempo. 13 October 1997. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  5. ↑ López, María Fernanda (3 September 2025). "¿Quién es Abelardo de la Espriella? El polémico abogado que quiere ser presidente". Minuto60. Archived from the original on 5 June 2026. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "¿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.
  7. ↑ "Abelardo de la Espriella lanza su candidatura a las elecciones presidenciales de 2026". EFE. Portafolio. 4 November 2025. Archived from the original on 16 November 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  8. ↑ Coronell, Daniel (18 August 2006). "El apoderado". Semana. Archived from the original on 31 May 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  9. 1 2 Turan, Bawer (15 November 2025). "Abelardo de la Espriella". Colombia Reports. Archived from the original on 3 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ ""Mancuso dio una lucha que hemos debido dar todos los cordobeses"". Revista Semana (in Spanish). 27 September 2008. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  14. ↑ Reyes, Luis (2026). "Iván no es Aureliano". El País Colombia. De la Espriella plantea, en esencia, la fantasía de que hubo una época dorada de la historia del país a la que es deseable regresar. Su idealización del paramilitarismo.
  15. ↑ Hernández, Camilo (17 September 2022). "Prostituta colombiana negoció con Playboy y ABC". La Prensa. Panamá. Associated Press.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ ""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.
  18. ↑ "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.
  19. ↑ "Víctimas del pastor Álvaro Gámez de Pasto rechazan la candidatura presidencial de Abelardo de la Esp". Revista Raya (in European Spanish). 18 June 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Pastrana y Navas logran conciliación tras acusaciones por vuelo 'lolita express'". La FM (in Spanish). 9 December 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Yo arreglaría este platanal: Abelardo de la Espriella, sobre si le gustaría ser presidente de Colombia". LARAZÓN.CO (in Spanish). 22 September 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Lo que se sabe del vínculo de Andrés Pastrana con Jeffrey Epstein y Ghislaine Maxwell (y las explicaciones del expresidente de Colombia a BBC Mundo)". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 6 March 2026. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Andrés Pastrana aparece más de 50 veces en los archivos de Epstein". RTVC Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "De la Espriella defenderá a agente investigado por la muerte de Dilan". El Tiempo (in Spanish). 28 November 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  25. ↑ ""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.
  26. ↑ "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.
  27. ↑ 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.
  28. ↑ "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.
  29. ↑ "Socio de candidato presidencial colombiano Abelardo de la Espriella, vinculado por EEUU a un caso de fraude a narcotraficantes". Univision (in Spanish). 18 April 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  30. ↑ "El rastro de Abelardo de la Espriella en la disputa por una mina de oro en el sur de Bolívar". Revista Raya (in European Spanish). 23 April 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  31. ↑ Arizala, Jeiner (13 April 2026). "De la Espriella y el despojo al pueblo negro en la Serranía de San Lucas". Proceso de Comunidades Negras en Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  32. ↑ ""Partidos políticos y paramilitarismo: "el Estado de Autodefensa""" (PDF). Comisión para la Verdad. 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  33. 1 2 Colombia, Cambio (2025). "Firmes por la plata: Abelardo de la Espriella a través de sus clientes". Cambio. Archived from the original on 26 May 2026. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  34. ↑ "Este es Abelardo de la Espriella: el polémico abogado que busca la Presidencia como outsider". El Espectador. 2026. Archived from the original on 26 May 2026. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  35. ↑ Vargas, Sandra (13 June 2024). "Salvatore Mancuso habló de su relación con el abogado Abelardo de la Espriella". Caracol. Archived from the original on 26 May 2026. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  36. ↑ "El machismo de Abelardo de la Espriella en seis episodios". La Silla Vacia (in Spanish). 2026. Archived from the original on 26 May 2026. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  37. ↑ "Elecciones en Colombia: Abelardo de la Espriella, el candidato "macho" que admira a Javier Milei y genera repudios con su campaña provocadora". Clarín. 2026.
  38. ↑ "Sexism looms over Colombia's presidential race between Paloma Valencia and Abelardo de la Espriella". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 May 2026. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
  39. 1 2 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.
  40. ↑ "Presidente Ecuador dispuesto a eliminar aranceles a Colombia". Deutsche Welle (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 June 2026. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  41. ↑ "Daniel Noboa, presidente de Ecuador, felicitó a Abelardo de la Espriella tras su paso a segunda vuelta: 'El pueblo colombiano necesita un cambio real'". El Tiempo. 2026.
  42. ↑ "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.
  43. ↑ 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.
  44. ↑ 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.
  45. ↑ 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.
  46. ↑ 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.
  47. ↑ 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.
  48. ↑ "Nate Morris (@NateMorris) on X". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  49. ↑ "Why is Latin American Going Trumpy". Economist. 25 June 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
  50. ↑ "Así opera la red de ataques contra los periodistas que critican a Abelardo de la Espriella". ColombiaCheck (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  51. ↑ León, Juanita (18 January 2026). "Solicitud de rectificación a la campaña de la Espriella". La Silla Vacía (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  52. ↑ "La tierra de un narcoparamilitar que pasó a manos de Abelardo de la Espriella". Voragine (in Spanish). 15 February 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  53. ↑ "Gossaín y su esposa, dentro del entramado societario de Abelardo de la Espriella - Diario La Libertad". Diario La Libertad (in Spanish). 13 January 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  54. ↑ "El "universo empresarial" de Abelardo de la Espriella". La Silla Vacía (in Spanish). 13 January 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  55. ↑ 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.
  56. ↑ "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.
  57. 1 2 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.
  58. ↑ "Familia de Rosa Elvira Cely denuncia revictimización por parte de Abelardo de la Espriella". Radio Nacional de Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  59. ↑ 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.
  60. ↑ ""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.
  61. ↑ Suárez, Astrid (7 August 2026). "Colombia's new president takes office in ceremony in Cali highlighting hard line on armed groups". AP News. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  62. ↑ "Abelardo de la Espriella posesionó a sus 18 ministros, al director del Dapre y a la consejera para las regiones". El Colombiano (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  63. ↑ "Casa de Nariño in Bogota Set to Become the Presidential Palace Again". Colombia 1. 26 August 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  64. ↑ "Colombia's new president launches offensive; six FARC dissidents killed". Miami Herald. 10 August 2026. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  65. ↑ "Colombia quake: Frantic search for survivors as over 2,700 reported missing". Al Jazeera. 11 August 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  66. ↑ "De la Espriella Announces Economic Emergency and creation of a Miracle Fund". Colombia 1. 12 August 2026.
  67. ↑ "De la Espriella nombra ministro del Interior a Rodrigo Lara". DW (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  68. ↑ Guerrero, Daniel (8 July 2026). "Abelardo De la Espriella designó a Omar Bula Escobar como canciller de Colombia". Bloomberg Línea (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  69. ↑ Lewin, Juan Esteban (1 July 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella anuncia a Miguel Gómez Martínez como el próximo ministro de Hacienda de Colombia". El País América Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  70. ↑ "Iván Cancino será ministro de Justicia en el gobierno de Abelardo de la Espriella". Cambio (in Spanish). 2 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  71. ↑ "De la Espriella anuncia al general retirado Jorge Eduardo Mora como ministro de Defensa". Infobae (in Spanish). 6 July 2026.
  72. ↑ "El empresario Indalecio Dangond será ministro de Agricultura en nuevo Gobierno de Colombia". SWI swissinfo.ch (in Spanish). 11 July 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  73. ↑ Gaitán, José Andrés González (14 July 2026). "María Nohemí Arboleda, nueva ministra de Minas y Energía del gobierno de Abelardo de la Espriella". Caracol Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  74. ↑ Lara, Felipe (7 July 2026). "¿Quién es Mauricio Gómez Amín, el nuevo ministro de Comercio? Perfil académico y profesional". Caracol Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  75. ↑ Lancheros, Katherine (2 July 2026). "Abelardo de la Espriella sigue eligiendo su gabinete y Viviane Morales será su ministra de Educación: este es su perfil". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  76. ↑ "Defensores de la Patria (@defensoresco) on X". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  77. ↑ Ruíz, Vannesa (8 July 2026). "El escándalo que persigue a Jaime Andrés Beltrán, ministro designado de Vivienda". Minuto60 (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  78. ↑ "Alexandra Falla Zerrate es designada ministra de las TIC de Abelardo de la Espriella". La FM (in Spanish). 15 July 2026. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  79. ↑ "Elsa Noguera, ministra designada por Abelardo De La Espriella, revela su hoja de ruta para transformar el sector transporte". Semana (in Spanish). 8 July 2026. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  80. ↑ Naranjo, Alexander Gómez (17 July 2026). "¿Quién es Paola Holguín, la ministra de Cultura designada por Abelardo de la Espriella?". Minuto60 (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  81. ↑ Valencia, María Camila Salas (7 July 2026). "Juliana Gutiérrez asumirá el Ministerio del Deporte en el nuevo Gobierno de Abelardo de la Espriella". El Colombiano (in European Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  82. ↑ "Claudia Benavides Salazar será la ministra de Ciencia: "Una verdadera nunca"". Noticias Caracol (in Spanish). 2 August 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  83. ↑ Diaz, Maria Jimena Delgado (30 July 2026). "¿Quién es Ana María Vesga, la ministra de Salud nombrada por Abelardo De la Espriella?". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  84. ↑ "Natalia López Fuentes será la ministra de Trabajo de Abelardo". La Silla Vacía (in Spanish). 28 July 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  85. ↑ Sources describing de la Espriella as right-wing or far-right:
  86. ↑ 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.
  87. ↑ "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.
  88. ↑ "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.
  89. ↑ 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.
  90. ↑ Puerto, Daniela (7 May 2026). "Construiremos 10 megacárceles; criminal que no se someta será dado de baja: De La Espriella". Caracol Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  91. ↑ De La Espriella Style (2025). "Episode I-II". Odio la pobreza, la detesto, no quiero que nadie sea pobre: Polo Polo [I hate poverty, I detest it, I don't want anyone to be poor: Polo Polo] (Podcast) (in Spanish). 16:27-16:44 minutes in – via YouTube.
  92. 1 2 3 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.
  93. ↑ Arcila, Migdalia (21 June 2026). "La promesa de un genocidio". Revista RAYA.
  94. ↑ "Abelardo promete hacer en Colombia lo mismo que hizo Netanyahu en Gaza". YouTube. 2026.
  95. ↑ "Trump, Milei e Kast celebram vitória de Abelardo de la Espriella". UOL Notícias. 22 June 2026.
  96. ↑ Katz, Goldie. "Colombia becomes second country to recognize Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights, joining US", The Jerusalem Post, 10 August 2026. Accessed 10 August 2026. "In its declaration, Bogota became only the second UN member state to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory captured from Syria in 1967 and effectively annexed by Israel in 1981, after the United States recognized Israeli sovereignty in 2019 during US President Donald Trump’s first term in office."
  97. ↑ "Abelardo de la Espriella dice que eliminaría casi la mitad de los ministerios". Semana (in Spanish). 16 November 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  98. ↑ "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.
  99. ↑ 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.
  100. ↑ Acosta, Luis Jaime (28 May 2026). "Colombia presidential candidate De La Espriella proposes mega-prisons, crime crackdown". Reuters. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  101. ↑ Rogero, Tiago (1 June 2026). "Colombia's far-right presidential candidate Espriella wins first round of vote ahead of runoff". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  102. ↑ "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.
  103. ↑ 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.
  104. ↑ "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.
  105. ↑ 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.
  106. ↑ "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.
  107. ↑ "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.
  108. ↑ 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.
  109. ↑ 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.
  110. 1 2 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.
  111. ↑ "Abelardo de la Espriella propuso acabar con Fecode y Daniel Quintero le salió al paso: "A leer, vago ignorante"". Infobae. 2026.
  112. ↑ Ortiz, Jerson (20 May 2026). "Propuestas bomba del programa de Abelardo De La Espriella". La Silla Vacía (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  113. ↑ "Los cambios normativos que Abelardo de la Espriella tiene pensados". Ámbito Jurídico (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  114. ↑ "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.
  115. ↑ Ortega, Natalia (23 June 2026). "El Acuerdo de Paz que De la Espriella quiere cambiar tiene más blindajes de los que imagina". El Espectador. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  116. ↑ 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.
  117. ↑ 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.
  118. ↑ "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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