Abelardo 'El Tigre' de la Espriella elected Colombia's new president, allied with Trump

Colombia has elected Abelardo de la Espriella as its new president following the second round of presidential elections. De la Espriella, a right-wing candidate, secured victory over Iván Cepeda, marking a significant shift in the country's political landscape.

Born in Bogotá in 1978 and raised in Montería, de la Espriella is a lawyer who graduated from Universidad Sergio Arboleda. In 2002, he founded De la Espriella Lawyers, a firm with operations in Colombia and Miami that he describes as a "multifaceted creator." The firm is recognized as a legal and business services leader. De la Espriella holds triple nationality: Colombian, American, and Italian.

He is known for handling some of Colombia's most high-profile legal cases. Notably, he represented Álex Saab, a former Venezuelan minister accused of being a frontman for Nicolás Maduro, who was extradited from Colombia to the United States. De la Espriella stated he disassociated from Saab in 2021.

De la Espriella's presidential candidacy was launched under the movement Defensores de la Patria, which he characterizes as a "citizen shield" against abuses of power and corruption. His government plan, titled "Patria Milagro," outlines over ten pillars for national reconstruction, including security, justice, economic growth projected at 7% annually, anti-corruption measures, institutional reform, education, and foreign policy. He has also garnered support from Donald Trump.