Honduras and Paraguay Presidents Back Colombian Candidate De la Espriella

Honduras President Nasry Asfura and Paraguay President Santiago Peña have publicly declared their support for Abelardo de la Espriella, the far-right candidate vying for the Colombian presidency. De la Espriella is set to face leftist candidate Iván Cepeda in the decisive second round of elections scheduled for June 21.

The endorsements were revealed in a video shared by De la Espriella on his X account. The footage shows the candidate for the "Defenders of the Fatherland" movement engaging in a cordial conversation with both presidents, who expressed their backing for his campaign. "Abelardo, I hope you are well in your fight, and on June 21, we will be praying. Everything will turn out well," Asfura told the candidate during a video call.

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Abelardo, I hope you are well in your fight, and on June 21, we will be praying. Everything will turn out well.

De la Espriella indicated that if elected, he plans to strengthen diplomatic ties with Honduras, focusing on areas such as trade, security, and military training. Asfura enthusiastically added, "We are going to fight, we are moving forward. We have been two sister nations, and you and I will demonstrate it, and we will make it stronger. Always firm."

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We are going to fight, we are moving forward. We have been two sister nations, and you and I will demonstrate it, and we will make it stronger. Always firm.

Paraguayan President Peña stated he is closely following the Colombian elections and hopes for a favorable outcome for De la Espriella. "We want the Colombian people to choose well so we can work together. The issue of security and defense is a priority for me. We can only combat organized crime with organized governments," Peña said during his discussion with De la Espriella.

This support from Asfura and Peña follows previous endorsements for the far-right candidate. Following the initial round of elections, De la Espriella secured 10.3 million votes (43.74%), while Cepeda garnered 9.7 million votes (40.90%). Former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously congratulated De la Espriella, offering his "complete and total support" and describing him as an "intelligent, strong, and decisive" leader. Argentinian President Javier Milei and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa have also celebrated De la Espriella's performance.

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We want the Colombian people to choose well so we can work together. The issue of security and defense is a priority for me. We can only combat organized crime with organized governments.